


Lightning Strikes Once In Your Life

by TheRegalist



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff and Angst, High School, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-02 02:40:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 66,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2796650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRegalist/pseuds/TheRegalist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Emma Swan gets into one too many fights for the system's liking she is sent to a rehabilitation program in Storybrooke, Maine. Forced to work on a horse farm that is owned by the wealthiest family in town, The Mills, Emma struggles to get her life on track, graduate from high school, and avoid jail. It's then that the blonde has a run-in with her bosses's only daughter Regina Mills: the town's golden girl who has perfect grades and the perfect boyfriend to go with them. The two girls meet, fall in love, and try to figure out how to handle the undeniable connection they have with one another. With all the obstacles life and they themselves throw at each other will their young love be able to survive?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Emma Swan, Stablegirl?

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or anything of OUAT. Please don't sue me this is all for fun. 
> 
> Warnings: 1.) Slow-burn! Just fyi. There will be plenty of interaction between them because that's what this is all about, but not really any sexy times until later on. 2.) There are some references to physical abuse throughout this. Nothing too graphic, but just a warning in case it's triggering or not your thing. 3.) Violence. I do describe fights. 4.) Swearing 
> 
> I do not have a beta, so there are bound to be mistakes. Feel free to point them out. Also, I do not know anything about the foster system or how the judicial system works and more than likely there will be mistakes about horses on here too, although I've tried to do my research. 
> 
> Besides that I hope you enjoy!

Bar fights weren’t her specialty, but she had been in enough to know how to get out alive. 

The first trick was to avoid any sign of a bottle. There was a common misconception started by the movies that it was a smart idea to smash glass in a tiny space and wave it around like a toy sword. It looked bad-ass, but truly was a horrible idea for everyone involved. Your best bet was to just run if shards started to fly.

Second, and most importantly, furniture hurts like a bitch. No matter which way it hits: for you or against you. And some methods are easier than others Cracking a chair over someone’s back is harder to accomplish than it appears. By the time you lift that son of a bitch up high enough to actually drop it you’ve left yourself vulnerable. Plus, you’ve invested a fair amount of time and effort into a move that may or may not render your opponent immobile for a few minutes. More than likely you’re just going to piss them off to a greater extent. Resulting in a harder beating for yourself. 

But, using stable fixtures such as a wooden bar screwed into the ground, to your advantage was always a safe bet. Everyone thinks there is some sort of unwritten guide book on proper customs for a bar fight. Like men always seem to think that a pool stick has to be involved, along with their fists. 

Stupid move. 

The more you hit someone with your hand the better chance you have of shattering all the tiny bones that make it up. Guys always seem to forget about that when they get their adrenaline pumping. Something about violence renders them dumber than usual. That’s why it’s always best to use open handed moves that force people into solid structures. Smacking a dude’s head against a counter is more effective than punching him in the face five times, any day. 

The last key to survival: fight dirty. When there’s alcohol involved any gentleman’s code goes out the window. People’s minds are unclear, emotions are running high, and the possibility of dying or suffering from serious physical harm gets larger with each throw. If you see a way out, take it. Don’t think. Just do it. 

It wasn’t a guarantee, but if you followed the rules then you’d probably make it home in time for the sunrise. 

And Emma Swan needed to make it home in time. 

Before that actually so, she stepped up her game.

That’s why when Dean the dumb-fuck who started this fight threw her onto the pool table she grabbed two of the balls and hit him on both sides of his head repeatedly. Eventually he spit out a couple of his teeth before he slid to the floor unconscious. Dean’s friend Bart didn’t seem to like that so much. Too bad for him.

Before she could even get off the damn green velvet rectangle that smelled like beer he was coming at her like a monkey who had just been released from the zoo. Why did men think that charging at you like a Greek warrior was going to solve everything? Really, it just left them vulnerable to so many other things. Emma squeezed the ball in her right hand tighter, saying a silent prayer for her aim, and hurled the object directly at his face. She was never going to be a pitcher, but she had a decent arm. Even if the flying ball didn’t hit its mark it would be enough to distract him so she could make a move. Luckily, the damn thing smacked into his face like a magnet to a fridge. He screamed in agony before another one of the drunk fools hit him over the back with a pool stick. 

Game over, Bart. 

There will still about five men standing, most fighting each other. It seemed they had forgotten the blonde who magically started this shit. How did she always manage to land herself in trouble? It tended to follow her everywhere she went, even if she wasn’t looking for it. 

What was with the red and blue lights flashing everywhere? Oh shit…

“POLICE! EVERYBODY, PUT YOUR HANDS UP!” 

At those words every person in the bar scattered like mice. Emma took off for the back exit she knew was in the back of the building. She leaped over the bar like a hurdle, running for dear life. If she could make it to the ally there was a good chance she could climb up the fire escape and out of the fucking flames. Getting arrested was not an option tonight. She already had two strikes and a third would mean juvie. 

The back door that led to her freedom was in sight. Tunnel vision took over as her target got closer. All she could see was her escape, and not the two uniforms who were about to come in through the back entrance. Guns were drawn and the blonde fell to her knees in surrender not wanting to test their patience. She was cuffed and thrown on the floor faster than the damn fight started. 

Unfortunately, Emma knew one of the cops who hauled her off the floor and out to the cruiser. Call it an unpleasant acquaintance? He had arrested her before, and lets just say they weren’t on good terms. Last time she saw him Emma accidently shot a firecracker into his car. To be fair, she was aiming for the Buick next to it until Tommy Mullens kicked it right before it shot off. The worst part was the guy was in the car. 

Four units had responded to their little spat, and she could see Bart being thrown into the back seat of one. She couldn’t help but smile at that because at least she wasn’t the only one who got busted. Others were being loaded up into the police vehicles too.

Officer King slammed the blonde face-first against the hood of the patrol car. Making sure to check that her cuffs were still on tight. Emma knew how to slip out of them, which the man had learned the hard way the first time around.

“Not you again,” he grumbled as he patted her down. The old buzzard managed to read her off her rights which she could recite by heart. 

“Nice to see you too, sir,” Emma replied with a smirk. 

“Wipe that look of your face girl. You’re headed to jail not Disneyland.” He escorted her to the backseat of the Crown Vic, shoving her in with way too much enthusiasm. Then the cop left her to deal with another one of the guys who was actually putting up a fight. Which was stupid. Once the police were involved you may as well surrender.

Emma inhaled deeply as she sunk into the cotton bench that reeked of body odor. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about her foster father beating her tonight. The women in her holding cell would probably take care of that for the bastard. She was for definite going to be going to jail this time. There was no way out of it. 

The blonde slammed her head against the seat in frustration. Why did she have to be so stupid? She could have walked away. If she was really honest with herself it wouldn’t have bothered her that much if she just ignored Dean’s cocky attitude. Probably would have saved her a lot of trouble too. But after years of growing up in a world where she was constantly having to fight for her survival she only knew one way of handling life.

Her rage fueled her defenses. The very tools that kept her breathing. Being able to physically express her frustrations in some way made her feel as if it just might be okay. That she may make it out of the system alive. It gave her some control in her life that she desperately craved. Her little vice got the girl in way more trouble than she’d ever be able to get out of now. 

This time she’d really fucked up.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

“When is the delinquent arriving?” Cora Mills implored as she sipped on her morning espresso. 

“She should be here tonight,” Sidney informed. 

“And the Jones?” 

“Are fully understanding of their responsibilities as her temporary guardians.” 

“Meaning-“ she drawled with way too much delight.

“They will be sober for every photo opportunity.”

“Perfect,” Cora purred approvingly. 

She had to find somewhere to dump the girl. There were very few families within Storybrooke who would allow a criminal to live under the same roof as their children. Of course, there were exceptions to every rule. Cora Mills had found just those. A couple of drunks who would do anything to stay out of jail. Plus the state funding was enough to grease the wheels for a few months time. 

“This will be great for your image,” the reporter stammered out. He was timid as ever. It was so very disappointing. Cora had relied upon Mr. Glass’ services since he started working at the Daily Mirror at the ripe age of 21. When she first found him he was confident, determined, and oh so gullible. Exactly what she looked for in a pet. However, years of working for the cold woman had turned him into a obedient twit. 

The only reason Cora didn’t discard him was because he truly was good at what he did. The man could find dirt in a hurricane. His skills were useful, and Cora would never waste such talent even if he was spineless. The fact that he was so easily manipulated was merely a bonus. 

“That’s why I’m doing it. Honestly, do you think I care about some criminal’s rehabilitation? ” Her icy glare had him swallowing a large lump in his throat. The woman’s eyes were similar to a shark’s: utterly lifeless. Yet, her face expertly contorted into a suitable expression that tricked the entire town into believing she had a soul. It’s how she got elected in the first place. But, Sidney knew better. 

The cold-hearted woman went back to sipping her morning caffeine, thoroughly enjoying the pitiful man’s discomfort. She had trained him well and knew he wouldn’t dare leave without being dismissed. When she decided he had been squirming long enough she abruptly snapped, “Why are you still here?” 

The journalist took his cue and fled. 

\-----------------------------------------------------

 

Emma didn’t really question it when the world gave her leg up from time to time. It was a rare occasion in the blonde’s life so, she enjoyed it. Well as much as you could enjoy being shuffled to another foster family that would more than likely treat you like last week’s garbage. Anything was better than prison.

How exactly she managed to qualify for this “rehabilitation” program was one of life’s mysteries. All the blonde knew was she spent a night in a holding cell before she appeared in front of some judge. He took one look at her record and declared that Emma Swan would not benefit from juvenile detention. The next thing she knew they were putting her on a bus to ship her off to somewhere in the fucking country. Apparently, she’d be working on a horse farm as part of her servitude. Nothing quite like manual labor to knock some sense into you. 

Despite having no clue where she was heading the blonde sat obediently as she was bounced along a rickety road leading to God knows where. It was only her, the bus driver, and one guard who had a shotgun resting in his lap. Just in case she got the brilliant idea to jump out of a moving vehicle they could shoot her if the fall didn’t kill her. She was just happy that they took the damn cuffs off. 

“You ever been to Maine?” the bus driver asked, glancing up at the mirror to make eye contact with the girl. Emma made sure to turn her head away from his line of sight.

“Is that where we’re going?”

“They didn’t tell you?” he quizzed. What was this 20 questions?

Emma shook her head. The less words the better. She didn’t want this guy getting the wrong idea. Maine? Seriously. It was freezing there. How did they have horses? 

“The drop-off says a town called Storybrooke, Maine. Ever heard of it?” 

Again she shook her head. 

“I’ve been through there a few times. Small town. People are nice though. Make sure you try Granny’s apple pie,” he recommended, shaking his head with enthusiasm. 

“Not a big pie fan, but I’ll check it out.” The blonde was never any good at small talk. Why people bothered was beyond her. Perhaps because she had been jerked around so much she saw absolutely no point in trying to pretend like she wanted to talk to people. If she had something to say, she did. Speaking was an unnecessary activity most of the time. 

The guy seemed to take the hint because he was quiet for the rest of the trip. Every once in awhile Emma would catch him looking back at her in the mirror, but when her eyes met his he’d avert his vision quickly. She had developed a good resting bitch face that kept most people at bay. 

When they were getting closer to this small town the guard walked his happy ass back to Emma with his trusty shotgun accompanying him. Just in case she decided to challenge the geezer. “Your social worker’s gonna pick you up. My job is to make sure you get off this bus and to her. If you run I’ll shoot you. After that you’re not my problem any more. Any questions?” he drawled out. 

Before she would even have time to make one up just to piss him off the deputy hoofed out a “good,” as he trotted himself back up to the front of the bus. So much for that. 

She had to give the guard credit, because he was punctual. Less than two minutes after he gave her the “I’ll kill you,” speech the giant tin can came to a squeaking halt. The government needed to invest in some fucking break pads, because every bus she’d ever been on sounded like someone dragging their nails on a chalkboard when it stopped. The uniform stood motioning for her to get off the bus with his gun as a prop. Emma obliged him wanting to get the hell off the metal contraption from hillbilly hell. 

The bus driver bid her a “farewell,” as she stepped off. She returned his gesture with a silent wave. Once her foot hit the sidewalk a petite, blonde woman with a twinkle in her eye met her vision. 

“You must be Emma. I’m Tina Bell, but most call me Tink. I’ll be your social worker here in Storybrooke,” she greeted in an Australian accent of some sort. The gleeful woman stuck out her hand as proper introductions called for. Emma shook it cordially without a peep. 

“Quiet one are ya? Right, lets go.” Tink turned on her heel strutting up the cement stairs that led to a building that had “Town Hall” across the top in black lettering. 

“Are we in Mayberry?” Emma muttered under her breath as she heaved her duffle onto her back and followed. She’d done most of her time in the system in big cities, primarily Boston and New York, but she’d never seen anything quite like this. 

“No, but close,” Tink replied, with a wink over her shoulder at Emma. The blonde furrowed her eyebrows in amusement, but kept her head down as they trudge through a hallway that had the town’s entire history painted on its walls in a tacky mural. 

“Would you like to know the story that goes along with these lovely illustrations?” Emma could hear the sarcasm dripping from her words, which she could respect. The blonde simply shrugged her shoulders. It didn’t matter; Emma knew she wouldn’t be here long. 

Tink made no comment about her un-committal response as she rattled off a small tidbit of how Storybrooke came to be. There was something about a family named “Mills” and an apple orchard, lumber, and boats. That explained the giant tree in the center that doubled as a heritage chart of the founding family. The very last apple had the name “Regina Mills” elegantly sketched inside. _She must be a pill._

“Emma Mary Swan,” Tink recited as she opened her file across her messy desk. Emma plopped down into one of the loungers that was perched in front of it. “Sixteen, ten schools total, and happy early birthday.” 

The blonde knew what little miss sunshine was about to read. How she had been labeled ‘trouble’ after she got kicked out of her sixth family she was forced into grouphomes. That was where they sent the bad eggs that no one could help. She had been fourteen when that happened. 

“Doesn’t say anything about you being mute,” the social worker joked, glancing up from her desk at the girl. Not even a smile that time. It seemed Emma was going to be tough to crack. 

“Look we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way all I want to do is help you out. I get it. You’re about to be seventeen, and you’re going to age out of the system in a year. Doesn’t change the fact that you’re stuck here until then. Unless of course you want to go to jail.” 

Emma stayed silent as she debated her options in her head. There was always the option to run, but she never got very far. This was also her way out of jail. If she did this rehabilitation program or whatever, then she was scot-free at eighteen. It was just a year. She could do a year. 

“I just want to do my time and get out of here,” Emma spoke up. Tink’s face soften at hearing the girl actually speak for the first time. Maybe she wasn’t hopeless after all. 

“I can work with that.” 

“I know absolutely nothing about horses,” Emma informed. The closest she ever came to one of those creatures was when a cop chased her on one in New York. She got away.

“We can teach you that.” 

“If I do this they won’t send me to prison?” 

“No. But there are some conditions to that. You have to work, you have to pass school, and no more fights.” 

Damn it. 

“What if I don’t start them?” It’s not like she ever usually did. She just had the tendency to finish them. 

“No exceptions. Keep your head down and yourself out of trouble. Any problems you’re having you report to me or an adult, not your fists. This will be over before you know it and you can get out of this town. Deal?” 

Emma bit her lip as she contemplated her answer. Maybe prison wasn’t so bad. One of her foster sisters had gotten sent to juvie, and when she came back she said it wasn’t that awful. The blonde debated on whether she’d like to test that theory herself or not.

“Deal.” 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

“You sleep here,” the drunk woman slurred. 

Emma had been led up to a tiny room above an external garage that smelled like gas fumes. They even had to take a separate set of stairs that were outside to get to the door of her new abode. At least she wouldn’t have to be in close quarters with the drunks. 

She had smelled it on them as soon as Tink dropped her off. The Jones were apparently a delightful family who were willing to open their house and home to any child in need. Or so that’s what the social worker had been told. Emma had been through this enough times before to know the signs of bullshit. On paper they’re perfect, in real life they suck. 

William and Bridget Jones. 

Mother and Father to two boys Liam and Killian, who she was sure to meet at some point. Neither had been there when she walked in. The man was passed out drunk, snoring on the couch like a whale. Bridget had grumbled something about “bloody Mayor” then dragged the blonde up to this place. She had seen the whisky bottles scattered throughout the house from the crack in the door; she was never invited in.

Typical.

“You go to school, you work, and you stay out of our hair. Any trouble out of ya, and I’ll knock your block off? Get me?” 

Emma nodded her head, annoyed, hoping that pretending to comply would get the woman away from her. She’d like to see the old hag try and hit her, she’d break her thumbs. Her new foster mother grunted in acknowledgement before she slammed the door shut. The blonde could hear Bridget hobbling her way down the rickety stairs. That would be a helpful alarm in case one of the family’s sons got any ideas about coming up here to fuck with her. 

She had lived in smaller rooms in her lifetime. The smell was going to be what bothered her the most. There was one window on the far wall that she opened immediately. Hopefully that would help air things out. She got the feeling that this had been storage for the family. Since there were a dozen boxes of junk pilled up to the rafters on one side. On the other there was a twin bed, dresser, and lamp. Enough for tonight. There were even blankets. Bonus.

The blonde sat on her new bed which made all kinds of noise from the metal springs. That was going to fuck up her back. She swung her legs up onto the mattress, kicking off her boots. Tomorrow was Saturday and she had to be up at six in the morning for her first day of work at the Mills’ Farm. Apparently she was going to be working for the family who was responsible for keeping this small town running. This was going to be an interesting year.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

 

Waking up at six in the morning always sounded feasible. However, it was fucking torture for someone who was up all night and could barely sleep in general. When Emma’s alarm clock went off the first time her eyes refused to open. Her hand just flopped around until it finally smacked something and the noise stopped. By the third time it went off she felt barely conscious enough to sit up. 

Technically her job didn’t start until seven, but she had to walk two miles to get there. She highly doubted her new family would be up to giving her a ride, like ever. What the fuck did stable hands wear to work anyway? The day she wore cowboy boots was the day she died. Instead, Emma settled on jeans, a flannel button-up, and some old boots. 

The air was crisp as she started toward her new place of work. Tink had thankfully pointed it out to her when they drove by. If not she’d probably be late for her first day. There was no way she could explain to her social worker what a piece of shit family they’d placed her with. It was only day one, and even if she complained it wasn’t like she’d get put in a better place. Every foster home blew. It was easier to just stick this one out for as long as possible before she got shipped somewhere else. 

If it was going to be this fucking cold in Maine everyday waking up wasn’t going to be a problem. The icy air was enough to have Emma fully alert as she stomped along. It was barely September. This was brutal. 

The blonde was too caught up in her grumpy morning thoughts to notice the sleek Jaguar pulling up next to her. When the driver didn’t gain her attention at his first attempt he rolled down the window and shouted, “Hey!” 

Her first instinct was to run. 

Her second was to ignore him. 

She chose door number 2. Emma put her head down and walked along pretending that the car that was keeping pace with her did not exist. If she could do that long enough maybe he’d go away, or cause a fight. She couldn’t have that now. Please leave me alone. 

The car came to a stop as the driver put it in park. He stepped out of the car and put his body directly in Emma’s path. Wrong move dude. She felt her knuckles curling into her palms as her instincts kicked in. She breathed out attempting to control her temper. A fight was not going to help her right now. 

“Are you deaf?” the guy asked. 

Emma looked up from the road and at the man for the first time. He was a kid. He couldn’t have been much older than her. He had messy brown hair and some scruff that needed trimming. As far as dudes went he was kind of scrawny. The blonde felt a bit of relief knowing he wouldn’t be a problem. Now what the fuck did he want?

“Look dude, I’m just trying to walk to work. So if you could just let me do that I’d appreciate it.” That was as polite as she was going to get. Warning number one, if he needed a second one Storybrooke could kiss her ass goodbye. 

He smiled. He actually had the nerve to smile like they were playing some flirtatious game that would end with them rolling around in the back of his car. What a cocky bastard. 

“I was going to offer you a ride.” 

Of course you were. A ride into your pants. 

“No thanks,” Emma scoffed as she pushed passed him. 

“I really was going to offer you a ride, I swear. It’s cold out here.” 

She didn’t answer. He stood there contemplating his options as Emma gained ground away from him. The guy then got back into his car, only to drive up next to her for the second time.

“Pal I don’t know what I got to tell you to leave me alone, but seriously. Beat it.” That was his final warning that she normally didn’t give. 

He smirked, but continued to steadily trail her. “I’ve never seen you before,” he tried. 

This asshole was not going to go away. 

“That’s because I just got here.” Maybe if she answered his stupid fucking questions he’d leave. 

“No offense but no one just comes to Storybrooke. Does your family live here before or something?” 

“What’s it to you.” 

“Just being friendly.” 

“More like annoying.” 

He genuinely laughed. In another life she might have found the sound charming. Now it was just irritating. 

“Too smart for my tricks are you?”

“Something like that.” 

“Name’s Neal.” 

“That’s nice.” 

“Okay, I guess I’ll figure yours out later.” 

“Not likely.” 

She could see the gate in the horizon. It wouldn’t be too much longer before she’d be able to bid her new stalker ado. Unless he wanted to deal with trespassing on the grand ole Mills’ property. Emma didn’t know the people but she could guess they didn’t like strangers.

“You heading over to Regina’s?” he asked, a confused look plastered on his face. 

Emma had no idea who the hell that was. Instead of finding out she just kept silent. It didn’t seem to deter Neal from running his mouth, but it eased her to know she made an effort. 

“Didn’t think so. I would have heard about it. You working there or something?” he implored further, as if they had been carrying on a polite conversation.

He got nothing from her.

“Right. Forgot you’re not going to answer my questions,” Neal announced in an obnoxiously cute way.

For the next five minutes until she finally reached the manor things between them remained quiet. Neal steadily drove with her as she walked to her destination that would bring this absurd introduction to an end. 

“Guess I’ll see you around,” Neal offered cheerfully as Emma continued on past the gate and up the path without glancing back. Goodbye, Weirdo.

It was another two minutes before she heard the Jaguar actually pull away, finally. Emma was suppose to meet a man named David at the front entrance by seven. She had no idea where the front entrance to this maze they called an estate was, so she just strolled along in hopes of finding a sign. 

It came in the form of a cowboy on a gator driving up next to her. What was it with guys following her around in vehicles this morning? 

“You Emma?” he drawled, a friendly smile on his face. 

She nodded. 

“Hop in.” 

The blonde did as she was told, climbing up into the contraption that reminded her of a golf cart with a truck bed. “Welcome to Mills’ Manor,” he greeted, gesturing to the vast acreage of green that was whizzing by them. Emma was a city girl through and through and she knew absolutely nothing about the country. But from gazing out at the giant farm she would be working on, the blonde could understand what people found appealing about it. 

It was beautiful. 

The sun was just barely in the sky giving off a warm hue of light that enveloped everything in sight. There were wide open spaces as far as the eye could see, with forest greens meeting the ends of the property. Nothing but wildlife and barns in between. There were quite literally horses everywhere she looked. Emma had never seen a horse up close before, and the beasts were massive. 

“Gorgeous isn’t it? Nothing quite like the country.” 

“I’ve never been in the country,” Emma remarked. She wasn’t sure what provoked her to admit that. Something about his demeanor put the young girl at ease. 

“We’re glad to have ya then. I’m David by the way,” he informed, sticking one hand out for a shake while the other drove the ATV. Emma shook it fast, afraid of him driving into a pole or a horse. 

“Emma Swan,” she returned. 

“I guess I’m technically the boss around here, John’s second in command, you’ll meet him eventually.” 

“I told them I didn’t know anything about the horses.” 

“Tink filled me in. Don’t worry, we’ll teach you everything you need to know. Most of it’s basically busting your ass. Handling the horses will just take practice.” 

Good to know. 

They drove down a gravel road that led to the main stable house. Or so she assumed, as it was a gigantic barn-looking structure. David parked outside the front doors that were slid open to reveal rows, and rows of stalls. Horses of every shape, color, and size were peaking their heads out as they trekked down the long corridor.

“So this is the main house, as you can see. There’s another stable on the other side of the farm where we keep the older animals and the visiting ones if we run out of room here.” 

They reached the other end of the building where matching barn doors were slid open to the other side of the farm; miles and miles of fenced in fields could be seen. David took a turn right into what had to be his office. 

Furniture seriously looked like it had just been thrown into the room and left where it fell, including an ancient desk that was hidden under piles of paper. A wire line ran from one end of the room to the other with polaroid’s of mares hanging from clothespins on it. Pictures of horses that were framed with titles were hung all over the paneled walls. Random horse tack completed the look as it was scattered everywhere, including on top of the chair Emma was about to sit on.

“Sorry it’s such a mess. I’m not in here much. It’s more like a glorified storage room,” he admonished. David rubbed the back of his neck as he plopped down in the seat across from Emma, picking up her file from his desk. 

She would recognize it anywhere. 

“Today I thought we’d go over the basics. Sort of an orientation. There’s a shipment of hay being delivered in a bit so we’ll show you how to unload that, and what to do with it because your primary focus will be feeding. Can you drive?” 

“Yeah,” she answered. 

Her one ticket to freedom was the shiny piece of laminated plastic she’d received on her last birthday. Emma had been sure to get it as soon as possible. Her next step was going to be actually getting a car to use it.

“Good to know, sometimes we have to use the farm’s pick-ups for work. That’s going to make your job much easier. Do you have any questions for me?” David finished, shooting her a sincere smile that told her he actually cared, poor sap.

Emma shook her head no.

David spent the rest of the day driving her around the estate, filling Emma’s head with stories about the horses. And, The Mills: they were apparently a powerfully wealthy family that could trace their roots back to the Mayflower. They owned most of the Eastern Shore’s lumber industry among other things. The horses were originally a family business that they now kept up for fun really.

Despite her better instincts, Emma kind of liked David. He was easy-going and that lazy smile of his was undemanding enough for her tastes. The guy was only nineteen; had just graduated from Storybrooke High last year. He was enrolled in night school and studying to become a vet, which was why he was working on a horse farm: experience with animals. 

As far as bosses went David was pretty cool, so far. Hell of a lot better than that restaurant manager who use to grab her ass when she was getting food out of the window. The work was going to be strenuous on her body, but that’s what the American judicial system thought she needed to be whipped into a productive citizen. Mostly, Emma was just grateful to have a way to keep her mind busy in this small town. She bet there wasn’t a gym around so this would do. 

“Alright!” David cheered, rubbing his hands together in mischievous glee. “All of this hay needs to get stacked into that barn,” he explained, pointing from the truck with stacked grass to the feed shed that was, oh about twenty feet away. This is going to be fun, Emma mulled as she joined the chipper man.

Emma didn’t gripe once as David climbed up the tower of hay to throw barrels down at her. Instead, she shucked off her jacket, tightened her boots, and got ready to get dirty. 

When they were done Emma was busy brushing all the hay off her clothes, and picking it out of her hair while David inspected everything.

“I’ve never seen someone work like you do,” David complimented as he jumped off the now empty truck.

“Thanks.” 

“You don’t say much do you?” he reported more than asked. 

“Don’t need to,” Emma replied. David smiled which was enough for Emma to understand that she was never going to have to worry about him prying. 

“We’ll call that a day.” 

“So, I can go?” she asked, hopeful. Her back was killing her, she smelled like farm, and she had been up since the butt crack of dawn. Even if home was now a smelly garage apartment that belonged to some drunks it sounded pretty appealing right about now.

“Yep. Don’t forget tomorrow you’re off. You work every day before and after school, but Sunday’s are a day of rest around here,” he informed with a proud smile. What a good country boy he was. 

That was good news. One whole day of Emma being held up in an alcoholic’s garage attic that smelled like gas with no excuse to leave. Hopefully this town would have something to occupy her free time. 

“Don’t suppose you have any plans?” he inquired.

How on Earth he thought she had plans after exactly one day of living in Storybrooke she’d never know, but that sincere face was enough to excuse that. 

“None.” 

“How would you like to come over to my place for dinner? My girlfriend, Mary Margaret, is going to be cooking and you two will actually be in school together. Thought it might be a nice way of you getting to know some of us.” 

If she could have thought of a single believable excuse she would have spit it out faster than a camel, but she had nothing. It was strange, because in most of her encounters with the human race no one ever went out of their way to be welcoming to Emma, but now it was happening. The whole situation was unfamiliar and she wasn’t even sure what to say. Plus, he was her superior. 

“Sure,” she answered with a shrug. How bad could it be? 

“Great! I’ll pick you up at four?” he said, dripping with enthusiasm.

It’s not like she had anywhere to be. 

“Whatever you say, Boss.” 

David was going to be in charge of her for the next year, and it would probably be in her favor to stay on his good side anyway. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------

 

Mary Margaret was nice enough, if you like women who are so overly sweet it made your teeth ache. The worst part was Emma couldn’t even bring herself to hate the girl, because she was…sincere. She wasn’t use to dealing with genuine people, and in the two days of her residency at Storybrooke she managed to find more than she had in her entire lifetime. That had to be a sign, or something. 

Whatever it was, it had Emma on edge. While she was enjoying the company, as her life was rather lonely, she was weary of the kind strangers. Perhaps it was merely the curse of a child who had been left to fend for themselves in the world. Emma feared this cozy setting, because she could see herself easily getting use to it. 

“So Emma, how do you like our small town so far?” Mary Margaret politely inquired. David gave a half-smile to his girlfriend as he continued to eat his mashed potatoes. He affectionately called her Snow, and Emma had to wonder if that was because of her skin tone.

“Truthfully I haven’t gotten to see much of it.” Normally she’d be hesitant to speak, but their warm smiles were coaxing her into a pleasant conversation. Emma almost felt like she could trust them, which was beyond stupid as she barely knew them and you can truly trust no one. 

Even if their pot roast is fucking bomb. 

“I’ll have to show you around sometime,” Snow declared. 

“Snow knows all the town’s secrets,” David added with a playful smile.

“There are lots of hidden gems that make Storybrooke great. I’m sure I’ll talk your ear off about it, especially if we have classes together.” 

Mary Margaret was a senior who would more than likely continue on to be the Mayor of this town from the way she gloated about it. Emma found it odd but, only because David and M&M seemed…married. Like they were in a legitimate holy union and had been for their whole life. Not like a couple of teenagers who were still in school. If she hadn’t known better, Emma would have thought they lived together.

“I can’t wait,” the blonde agreed, finding she meant it.

“You have to meet Granny and Red,” David chimed in. 

“Red?” Emma restated. That was a peculiar name, or object.

Snow giggled, “It’s a nickname, because of the red streaks in her hair.”

“More like her personality,” David mumbled under his breath. Snow smacked him playfully, but gave him a scornful look. That made Emma chuckle. They were actually a cute couple when you got right down to it, she couldn’t deny that.

“Either way you have to meet them, and eat at Granny’s, oh and there’s Belle!” 

“This town has a bell?” Of course she landed in a place that still practiced the annoying tradition of ringing bells to announce things like town meetings.

“No,” David laughed out. “Belle is a girl, she’s a part of Snow’s little pack.” 

“We’re not a pack,” Mary Margaret corrected with an eye roll. It was obviously something they regularly argued about from his girlfriend’s reaction. 

“There are a lot of people for me to meet for such a small town,” Emma joked. The blonde could be sociable when needed, but she preferred to keep to herself most of the time. She hadn’t been in Storybrooke but five minutes and already she had a new repertoire of friends she hadn’t even met. My how shit changes. 

“You still haven’t met any of the Mills right?” MM asked, her features turning sour at the sound of the name.

Lets hope you never do,” David added with a shudder.

“What’s so bad about them?” It might be nice to know something about these “wonderful” people who were giving her a second chance at life. More than likely they were fucking rich bitches who wanted some good press about their charitable work with the underprivileged. 

“They’re…” David couldn’t quite find the words so his girlfriend did.

“A breed their own,” Snow supplemented with a confident nod.

“Tink mentioned that they were related to the town’s founders?” 

“That’s true. The family’s been running this town as far as it dates back. Oh! Is Tink your social worker?” the pixie-haired girl asked, parking up again.

Emma nodded. 

“How do you like her?” David asked, with a twinkle of naughtiness in his steely blue eyes. He had mentioned her before, and it sounded like they were friends.

“She’s alright. One of the better ones I’ve dealt with. She was-“

“-Blunt,” David finished with a laugh. 

“That’s putting it nicely,” Snow teased. 

“How do you know her?” 

“She use to date one of our friends.” 

“Use to being the key phrase there. Those two have been over for awhile,” David bellowed. 

“This really is a small town,” Emma claimed, more for herself than for them. David and Mary Margaret laughed regardless. The blonde had the feeling that she was going to be watched very closely here. And bored, can’t forget that.

“Actually it’s Killian, the Jones’ boy. He’s only twenty-one. I wasn’t sure if you’ve met him yet,” David ventured. 

Emma was stuck on the fact that her boss had just insinuated the Jones had one son, when she was told there were two. 

“Haven’t had the pleasure of meeting either of them,” Emma remarked fishing for an answer. If only they knew how wonderful their friends’ parents had been to her so far. She could only imagine how they would react. 

Mary Margaret’s and David’s faces suddenly paled, their features dropped, and Emma saw a deep sadness in David’s eyes. “Tink didn’t tell you about Liam?” 

“That’s their other son, right?” 

“Liam died two years ago,” Snow said, softly as David seemed to retreat a bit. She reached out for her boyfriend’s hand, squeezing it. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” 

That explained a lot about her foster parents current drinking habits. 

“It’s alright.” But Emma could tell it really wasn’t. 

“What was he like?” The blonde found this to be one of the few questions people liked to hear whenever death was brought up. Often times people offered their condolences, or made some awkward attempt to be understanding. But there was no understanding it. So, she always just asked what they were like. 

David for some reason perked up at that. And they spent the rest of the evening talking about the Joneses who use to be a lot of fun. The hijinks that David and Liam use to get up to. He was Killian’s younger brother and they had gone to school together. He had joined the Navy after graduation and there was a training accident that Liam didn’t survive.

After a surprisingly comforting hug goodbye from Mary Margaret, David drove her home in his old pick-up truck that smelled faintly of farm animals. When he pulled up to the house that she now understood was full of memories for him she saw a smile rooted in nostalgia.

As she got out of the truck David grabbed her hand gently. “Thank you for tonight.” Even though he didn’t go into detail about it, she knew he appreciated being able to talk about his friend in a way that wasn’t utterly depressing. He gave her a smile before he let go, and Emma waved at the top of the stairs as he drove off. 

Watching David Nolan drive down the road made Emma realize how much she actually liked the young couple. That sparked a sliver of hope inside her that maybe she could actually have friends in this strange, small town. Maybe, just maybe there was a reason for her being here.


	2. Lightning Strikes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer as before. 
> 
> I'm on break, so I will be updating this fic super quick more than likely. 
> 
> Also some of this may seem like random scenes, but I promise it's all in the purpose of the story arc. Thank you for reading, and thank you for being awesome.

6:00 A.M. 

Every single day Regina Mills woke at precisely six o’clock in the morning. Her routine involved showering, blow-drying and styling her hair, applying the proper amount of make-up, checking her e-mail, eating breakfast with her parents, then a few minutes to gather her barring’s, and check her lipstick before she left the house promptly at 7. 

It took ten minutes to get to school, which put her there around 7:10. She was always early, as classes didn’t start until precisely 7:25. That gave her plenty of time to get to her locker, check her assignments, kiss her boyfriend good morning, then scurry off to class, early. 

This was her schedule. This was her routine. Her very being thrived on this type of organization, and without it Regina Mills would not be able to survive the hectic life that has been thrust upon her. Every single day of the past four years went this way, until today. 

When she left her family’s estate after kissing her Father on the temple as he read the paper, and biding a verbal farewell to her Mother she could have never anticipated the dramatic turn her day would take. She climbed into her Mercedes, a sixteenth birthday present, and took off for school. Her phone rang shortly after, and she knew it was Kathryn from the song blaring in the car’s cabin.

_Oh my! Looky there._  
 _Stone cold foxy, platinum hair_  
 _Short-skirt, belly there_  
 _Make a chick wanna hate, make a boy wanna stare_

Kathryn Midas was her best friend in the entire world; she was also a needy bitch. Like call you at seven when I’m going to see you in ten minutes needy. Also the type to constantly steal your phone and change her own ringtone to that ridiculous song no matter how many times you asked her not to. 

“Do we have a Calculus quiz today?” her friend’s panicked voice nearly screamed into the phone. 

This girl would forever be using Regina as her own personal datebook rather than just getting one of her own. Kathryn relied on her too much now to bother. The blonde was going to be screwed when she went off to college, or find another sidekick to do it for four more years. 

“It’s fucking seven in the morning, pop a pill or something and calm down. No we don’t have a quiz.” 

“You’re always such an asshole in the morning,” Kat fired back with a snigger. 

This was their relationship. Two sassy, opinionated women who loved each other dearly and weren’t afraid to express it. Their rapport with one another could be frightening to an outsider, but it was nothing but love in the form of loud, loud, mean words.

“Well it doesn’t help when you answer the phone with the volume of a stadium announcer without the microphone might I add. Seriously Kathryn would it kill you to speak at a normal level?” 

“Are you telling me to be normal Regina because that’s just cruel.” 

The argument got even more heated as the playful banter flew across the invisible cellular lines. Regina was so distracted by her friend’s morning antics that she did not notice what was right in front of her. A blonde girl traipsing about in the middle of the road. 

Regina saw her too late, but slammed on her brakes as hard as she could. It felt like her feet were about to go through the floor of her car. Her phone went flying from her ear, but she could still hear Kathryn’s shouting. There was a thud, and then the car squealed to a sudden stop. The seatbelt prevented her body from flying through the windshield as it jerked her back into the seat firmly.

Then everything just went silent. 

Heaving air in and out from her chest trying to settle the adrenaline down, Regina glanced up from her driver’s seat for any sign of the girl. When there was nothing she hurried out of the car and onto the pavement. 

The stranger was sprawled out on the road. A mop of blonde hair covering her face. There was no blood visible to Regina’s eyes, but that didn’t necessarily mean they were out of the woods yet, because she wasn’t moving. 

“Are you alright?” Regina called as she rushed to the girl’s side. 

She knelt beside the figure, hesitantly reaching down to brush the hair from her face. Regina didn’t recognize the female, which was odd for Storybrooke. 

“Fuck” the outsider grunted as she started coming to. 

“I am so sorry, are you alright? Can you move?” Regina shouted as the girl attempted to sit up. “Easy,” the brunette urged, as she helped get the blonde’s head off the ground. The girl had yet to open her eyes, and the pain of the movement was expressed by her squinting even harder.

Then, they finally flickered opened. 

And Regina felt like she had the wind knocked out her. As if lightning had just come down and struck her very soul. 

A pair of the most beautiful emerald eyes she had ever seen were staring up at her. They were…mesmerizing. The brunette had never been struck so suddenly by someone; Regina felt as if she was being hypnotized. Something about the moment was mutual, because those eyes locked with her own in a fixed dance of sorts. They were frozen like that for some time as the two young women took each other in. Whatever was happening between them had the hair’s on Regina’s neck standing at attention, her heart was beating so fast and yet so slow, and the world seemed to evaporate around her. 

The heiress forced herself to snap out of it after an inappropriate amount of time passed. 

“Are you alright?” she asked for the thousandth time, but her brain was damn near short-circuiting and it was all she could come up with. Her voice was hoarse as she tried to remember how to verbalize her thoughts again. 

“Did you just hit me with you car?” the blonde breathed out. She could barely raise her eyebrows in question, but Regina understood. 

“Yes. We need to get you to a hospital,” Regina pressed, as she tried to help the girl stand-up fully. At the word ‘hospital’ panic flashed across the green pools and the blonde tried to shake her head no. But the action had the girl wincing in pain. 

“No, no hospital. I’m fine,” she grunted through clenched teeth as she got to her feet, regaining her balance slowly.  
“You just got hit by a car. You are not fine,” Regina explained. The girl was being ridiculous. No one got hit by a moving vehicle and was just walked it off.

“No hospital.” 

“Don’t be foolish,” Regina coaxed. 

“The person who hit someone with their car is calling me foolish?” the blonde commented with a challenging glare. 

She had a point. Now was not the time to be throwing insults around, but if it meant the stranger would get her ass in the car and to a medical building Regina would say what she needed to. 

“Don’t be stubborn,” Regina tried again. 

“Anyone ever tell you you’re bossy?” the girl half-joked. 

“Lots. Now if you’ll please we need to get you help,” Regina commanded. 

“Seriously, I’m fine. Just give me a minute. Then I’ll move out of the way and you can speed back to wherever the hell you were going.” 

School. Fuck. Regina glanced down to her watch that read 7:15. She was most definitely going to be late. But that truly didn’t concern her at the moment, a strange feeling for the brunette. 

“Don’t be absurd. We need to make sure you truly are alright. Is there anything I can do to convince you to go to the hospital?” 

Even as the words flew out of her mouth Regina knew they were falling on deaf ears. The girl’s response was just gave her a fixed glower until the brunette let out a sigh. “Fine if you won’t let me take you to a hospital at least let me give you a ride to wherever you were going to ensure you are as you say ‘alright’.” 

Consideration racked the blonde’s features before she replied, “Thanks, but no thanks.” 

“Now you’re just being difficult,” Regina huffed. She was going to have to run the girl back over just to get her to cooperate. 

“I’m sorry I tend to be like that after I get hit by a CAR!” 

Regina did not like this girl’s attitude, but her inner conscience was telling her to be kind. She did nearly kill her, and miraculously she was okay. Perhaps she just needed some motivation to accept her kindness. 

“Please? Let me drive you?” Sincerity laced the brunette’s voice as she put on her most pleasing face. 

“If I do will you promise never to hit me with your car again?” the blonde retorted. 

For some inexplicable reason Regina laughed. It was more a snort that she stopped before it fully escaped from her lips. But, it still happened. Someone had actually made her genuinely laugh so unexpectedly; that hadn’t happened in awhile.

“Maybe,” was her wry reply. 

“Good enough.” 

After struggling to get up because she refused the brunette’s help, who stood by with her hip jutted out while she sulked, the blonde managed to get into the car. A fucking Mercedes. Of course McRich pants would practically run her over. Probably why she was so insistent on helping her; so she wouldn’t sue. She felt like the leather interior was worth more than her life. 

“Nice car,” the blonde noted casually. The brunette could sense the discomfort. Not that she could blame her because her feelings toward a machine that hit her would not be overwhelming joy. 

“Where are you going?” Regina implored. 

“Storybrooke High.” 

“Then why pray tell where you strolling down the middle of the road?” If the blonde wanted to get to school on time she had a funny way of going about it. 

She said nothing. 

“You must be new here.” Regina never did bode well with silence. It was clear that the blonde girl was a newcomer, because it was a small town and her family knew everybody. Not to mention that Storybrooke hadn’t had someone actually move there since the 80s. 

“What makes you say that?” 

“I’ve never seen you before and it’s a small town. Also, I go to that school and I’ve never seen you there either,” Regina answered smugly. 

“Maybe you just missed me,” the blonde challenged with a smirk. No she definitely wouldn’t have missed that smile, or those eyes. 

_Where the fuck did that come from Regina?_

“I will find out myself then.” 

“How would you do that?” 

“I have my ways,” Regina teased with a small smile. The blonde wasn’t the only one who could poke fun. 

“You make it sound like you’re a mob boss.” 

“Daughter of, actually.” 

The girl’s shot her a disbelieving look, “seriously?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” 

“Now you’re just playing with me,” she happily accused. 

Regina didn’t bother to reply, but rather kept her guessing for some reason she didn’t understand herself. In her gut she knew it was because she wanted the blonde to think she was more interesting than she was, but Regina would never admit that to herself. They were just pulling into the student’s parking lot at 7:27. She was going to be late for the first time in her High School career. Mother would not be pleased. 

“Last chance for the hospital, are you sure you’re alright?” Regina asked again, as she put the car in park and grabbed her bag. 

“For the last time Mom, yes,” the girl groaned as she got out of the car. 

Regina hurried around the front of her Benz to meet the blonde. She grabbed a notepad and pen out of backpack, jotting something down frantically.

“If your health status changes, call me.” She handed the sheet over to the girl who took it with an unconvinced expression. Regina hurried to the side entrance not wanting to be any later than she already was. The blonde followed at a lesser pace, but they still managed to enter the school together. 

When the brunette veered off for the staircase and the blonde went for the front office Regina stopped dead and turned back to the stranger. “What’s your name?” 

The blonde laughed, looked down at her feet sheepishly, then glanced back up to her with a grin that had Regina’s stomach doing all sorts of weird things. “Emma, Emma Swan.” With that the brunette left her standing in the hallway of a strange new school, alone, like so many times before. 

Feeling the crumpled paper in her hand Emma glanced down. 

Scribbled in some rather elegant handwriting for a hurried attempt was the girl’s name: Regina Mills. 

Emma internally screamed.

_Shit._

\--------------------------------------------------

 

“Regina did hell freeze over or were you late this morning?” Kathryn quipped. A maniacal smile came over her lips as she slipped into a seat across from her friend at the lunch table. 

The brunette sighed, and rolled her eyes. It was bad enough her Mother would kill her with her bare hands if she found out, but what’s worse would be Kathryn’s persistent mocking. Her best friend had the tendency to drill her constantly about her goody-two-shoe ways. 

“If you gave the command I suppose it did dear,” Regina retorted, narrowing her eyes at her friend in a daring way. Kat knew better then to go toe-to-toe with her in a game of verbal slander. Everyone in the whole damn town did.

Out of the corner of her eye Regina spotted a mess of blonde curls making its way through the lunch crowd, instantly she knew it was her new acquaintance. The sight of her had Regina jerking her head up to catch a glimpse of the mystifying Emma Swan. Kathryn followed her line of vision spotting the subject of her friend’s vision. It wasn’t hard, seeing has everyone was staring at her. 

She was new. 

New people didn’t just happen in Storybrooke. Hence the open gawking. And the fact that the new chick was hot also did not help either. 

Regina could hardly bring herself to care that her friend had discovered the focus of her attention. She was too busy checking out the elusive girl. Emma was no longer clad in leather as SH tended to keep the heat blaring in the winter. It was Maine, translation: Fucking cold. Instead she sported some rather tight jeans that outlined a seriously nice ass, and a skin-tight white t-shirt that clung to all the right places. 

“Who is that?” Kathryn wondered aloud as the girl strutted in her knee-high boots out of the lunch line and toward the empty table in the corner. 

Regina decided to play dumb, “Who dear?”. 

The blonde turned around slowly, giving her a ‘seriously’ stare. As if her lifelong best friend could keep a fucking secret from her. “Do I really need to say it?” 

Emma’s eyes caught hers in the crowd, and she felt every fiber of sense she had leave her body. Their eyes locked for seconds, just seconds, but even the brunette couldn’t deny the sparks that were shooting through her as pulse quickened instantaneously. This was legitimatley crazy. Regina didn’t even know her.

“Regina what the fu-“ 

“Hey babe,” Graham cut in before Kathryn could finish her sentence. He leaned down to give his girlfriend a peck that snapped Regina out of her little world with the stranger. Neal took his seat next to Kathryn as usual letting his arm fall behind her chair. Not that the blonde would EVER date the scruffy boy, but their relationship was more than affectionate. 

“What’s happening guys?” Neal questioned clueless. 

“Regina was just about to tell us about the new girl,” Kathryn informed, sending her friend a sharp glare. There was no way Regina would be able to worm out of that one. 

“Please God tell me you know her name!” Neal pleaded, as he got that look. The look the pitiful soul got whenever he had a new a crush. Regina felt a bit of anger flare up in her chest at his excitement, but she swallowed it down. _How does he know her? And why do I even care?_

“Unfortunately I don’t know her. I was merely curious about her presence like everybody else. I’ll be sure to inquire about her name for you Neal.” 

“What do you know about the mystery girl?” Graham directed at his buddy.

“That she likes to walk down Dreary Lane in jeans that should be illegal with an ass like-“ 

“Enough,” Regina snapped. 

The boys chuckled, blaming her rash behavior on their idiocy, not the real reason. Kathryn’s eyebrows nearly shot off her face. Something was up, and she could tell. 

“Well apparently Mary Margaret knows her name,” Kathryn said, pointing to the pre-nun who was joining the new girl at the table. “Maybe ask her Neal.” 

If she felt anger when tweedle-dee and dumber were pointing out her new fixation like a piece of fresh meat, rage coursed through her at seeing Emma with Snow. 

“Looks like you’ve got a new enemy,” Graham teased, as he pulled Regina in closer. The touch that was normally so comforting made her skin crawl and she shrugged his arm off. “Too bad for you Neal, looks like blondie’s already taken a side.” 

“I can flip her,” he proclaimed. 

“Good luck with that,” Kat sneered. 

“I have to go see Mr. Peck,” Regina lied abruptly getting up from the table. She knew that her friends would believe her though, because she often schedule lunch meetings with the student government’s supervising teacher. Regina left the table without so much as a goodbye to her friends or boyfriend, and walked out of the cafeteria with her tail between her legs avoiding the blonde’s line of sight. 

She managed to push any images of Emma Swan from her mind. Until 7th period when the blonde trotted into her AP Language class and took a seat in the last row; without so much as glance in her direction. Get it together Regina.

Ms. Collins rattled on about something for sure, but what Regina had no idea. She couldn’t bring her mind to focus on her teacher. Instead, her brain was taking residence in la-la land where she was frantically trying to answer all the questions she had about Emma Swan while simultaneously scolding herself for even thinking about her. 

When the bell rang after forty-five minutes of what felt like the Charlie Brown teacher lecturing Regina raced to her locker, then to her car, not even bothering to stop by Graham’s locker like she normally did. He could wait for awhile because she still wasn’t over his comments at lunch. 

Thank the heavens her car was super fast because it made the trip home seem like nothing. She was parked in garage, barreling up the stairs before she knew it. Regina stripped out of normal garb reaching for her khakis and boots. 

She needed to clear her head. 

She needed to ride. 

The brunette glanced at her phone hoping for a missed call or a fucking owl with a letter from Emma, but there was nothing. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------

There was only one school bus for the entire high school. Apparently everyone in the small town either had a ride, or it was just so small they never needed to invest in more. Either way, Emma was left without a ride to the Mills because the big cheese didn’t stop that far out. It was about a five mile walk to the farm, and her back was still hurting from almost being run-over by a brunette in a Mercedes. 

Emma bit her lip as she pressed on. 

It didn’t take long before the black Jaguar pulled up next to her once again. She definitely had an admirer that was turning into a stage five clinger. Neal rolled his window down casually, like this was their normal interaction.

“Need a ride?” 

Since silence didn’t work the first time, maybe words would this time. 

“Fuck off.” 

“Ouch!” he feigned hurt. When Emma didn’t react to his foolishness he tried another route. 

“Look now that you’ve been here awhile you know how small this place is. I couldn’t’ get away with anything even if I wanted to, but I’m not that guy. Let me give you a ride.” 

Neal shot her a sincere smile, and it had the blonde faltering. She was already aching, and she had a long walk ahead of her plus hours of manual labor. It’s not like she had to worry, because if the scruffy boy made a move she’d bust his head in. But, she was more concerned with him thinking it meant more than it did. 

“Come on. You need to make some new friends in this town.” 

Emma stopped and let out a long breath. 

“Fine. You can give me a ride to the gate. If you try anything, and I do mean anything. I will break your hand, got it?” Neal tried to smile, but he could sense that Emma meant that threat so he just nodded. 

“You have my word as a gentleman.” 

“Lord help me,” Emma said under her breath as she got in. 

\----------------------------------------------------

Cici needed to be ridden, so Regina chose her instead of her own horse. Plus, she was looking for a little more adrenaline and Cici, a.k.a. Crazy Bitch, wasn’t taking too well to being broken in. The brunette saddled her quickly and took off out of the stables for the woods. 

She couldn’t open up the animal entirely until she was away from the house. In the woods no one could see her and her Mother couldn’t scold her for riding in a manner that was not lady-like. Regina never understood how she could put gender expectations on something like horseback riding, but Cora Mills found a way. 

The Thoroughbred was eager to get some running in. She felt bad for the creatures sometimes. Cici was going to be a racing horse once she got her attitude under control. Her family would sell her off to some business looking to win the derby. The Mills had long gotten out of the sport, as she was told when her Mother made her stop competition riding in 8th grade, and now they simply trained and sold them. It was a business rooted in heritage for them.

Regina loved horses. If she had it her way she’d spend every day of her life with them. That was not what she was destined to do, but in her heart she would never be more content then when she was riding. Regina Mills was a simple country girl being forced to live in a complex world. 

She broke into a full out run once they were past the brush and into the clearing behind their house. Regina often took horses out here, because she could run them as fast as she wanted for miles, nothing but trees and open pastures were out back. Her own space to ride. 

The wind whipping in her hair, the sound of hold beats, and nothing in sight got her blood pumping. It wasn’t long before she forgot completely about her day, about school, about Emma. Her life faded away around her like a sunset and she felt alive again. 

All good things have to come to an end though. After about an hour of running her feelings out with the animal Regina made her way back to the stables thoroughly elated. There was a sheen of sweat gathering on her coat and on her own skin from Regina working the horse so hard. She let Cici take it easy as they trotted back home. 

As she was leisurely riding back to the stables she saw David out in one of the horse pens. They had George out of his stall, a seriously aged horse that they only used to teach beginners, and he was trying to show someone how to mount, clearly for the first time. Regina always found the lesson humorous as people always fell off. She pulled Cici to a halt, dismounted and handed off the reigns to a nearby stablehand who would be sure she got properly cared for after her workout. 

Regina climbed over the fence and perched herself on the top of the wooden beam. David was laughing his ass off as the new rider literally pushed up so hard on the stirrup it sent them flying over the other side and onto their face. The brunette couldn’t help but chuckle herself too.

When a mess of blonde curls that had been haunting her all day emerged on the other side of David her stomach sank. There’s no way.

“Regina!” David greeted loudly, waving at the daydreaming girl. Well now there was no way of sneaking away before Emma could see her. The brunette jumped off the fence and strutted up to the pair and George. 

“I see you’re having some trouble,” Regina teased, spying the blonde who was trying to hide behind the hindquarters of the animal. How cute. The brunette reached out to stroke George’s nose as he nuzzled into her. He was an old frined. 

“Just a bit, Regina this is Emma Swan. She’s the new stable girl,” David introduced with that goofy grin. The poor dunce had no idea what was happening.

“Nice to meet you,” the blonde replied, sticking her hand out in proper fashion. Regina shook it with a condescending smile on her face, “pleasure.” 

“Just trying to teach her how to ride. She’s never been on a horse before,” David informed as Emma seemed to turn a shade red. Then why the fuck would we hire her to work on a horse farm? Regina would have to ask her Mother about that.

“Well it is difficult to mount strange creatures.” The tone of her voice had the blonde giving her a questioning look. They were most definitely not talking about horses anymore. The blonde cleared her throat in discomfort which made Regina happy. She shouldn’t be the only one feeling off kilter. 

“She’ll get the hang of it.” David’s smile was as stupid as he was. Regina did try to hate the man, as he was Mary Margaret’s boyfriend, but he was too likable. He also worked for her family and refused to participate in the ridiculous feud when he was in High School. She always admired him for that. 

“David why don’t you go and let me help Ms. Swan. I’m sure you have plenty of other work to do,” Regina delegated in the form of a suggestion for face’s sake. The message was clear: scram.

David expressed his gratitude before he ran away from the pen with a sheepish grin. He was daft and dumb in certain ways, but he sensed something between the girls that did not need his presence. Once he was thoroughly evacuated from the scene Regina turned to her new acquaintance with an un-amused face. 

“Care to tell me why you failed to inform me of your employment with my family? Or was the lawsuit going to do that for you?” Her tone was vicious as was the impeccable fake smile she had on her face that stung people’s souls. 

Emma stared right back at her not faltered for a second by the Latina’s attitude problem. It through the brunette off, because most cowered whenever she broke out her bitchy side. But, the blonde simply had a bored look on her face as she spoke. 

After a few awkward moments of silence that involved Regina’s cold stare and Emma’s unimpressed face the blonde finally spoke…

“So are you going to teach me to ride or what?” 

Regina, surprisingly did not debate her answer for long.

“I hope you’re ready for me.” 

“Oh, I think I can handle you just fine.” 

Regina smiled in a seriously distracting way at that. 

Then she went into an hour long lecture about horses, the importance of their grooming, and how you had to be confident in your own abilities to assert your dominance over the horse. About half-way through Emma zoned out, choosing to focus on how attractive Regina was instead. 

Those pants were working wonders for her, and the boots were not hurting either. The chick had curves to die for, an ass that Emma couldn’t help but stare at, and lips that would make any man quiver. Of course she had noticed how pretty she was when she ran her over that morning, but having Regina this close to her was only magnifying that. 

Regina Mills was fucking gorgeous. 

Like in a painful sort of way. 

It almost hurt to look at her.

“You really love this,” Emma commented, interrupting the brunette mid-sentence. Regina appeared flustered for a minute before narrowing her vision at the blonde. 

“Yes, I suppose I do.” Regina’s voice softened at the confession. Her eyes lightening up at the mere mention of her passion. Their gazes met once again, and Regina actually felt the breath in her chest hitch uncontrollably.

“I hope you’re better at it than driving,” Emma quipped, killing whatever moment had been passing between them. It was way too intense for her

“I can assure you I’m a responsible driver.”

“Tell that to my bruised head.” 

“I offered you medical attention.” 

“Which would not have been necessary if you didn’t run me over in the first place.” 

“It was an accident!” 

“Sure you just didn’t want to kill me? That’s what it kind of felt like. I felt personally victimized by you, Regina.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t actually care enough about your existence to pay you such attention.” 

“Bullshit.” 

That had them both awkwardly laughing as their little banter session came to an end. “Shall we move on?” Regina offered as the lesson continued. 

Emma never actually got to get back on the horse that day. Nope, she spent the better part of it talking to Regina as they properly groomed, fed, and cared for George. Watching the brunette interact with the animal was something else. It was like she came alive in that moment. 

Emma wanted to know what else did that to her. Worse, she wanted to cause that light in her eyes. 

So when Regina said, “we will continue your lesson tomorrow,” as they went their separate ways up the beaten path Emma didn’t argue. She merely bid her goodnight as she started her walk home, and Regina disappeared into the giant house of her employer. 

It wasn’t until later that Emma realized the gravity of what she had just agreed to. 

It was also around this time that Cora Mills informed her daughter that Emma was a delinquent working off her sentence on their farm. And Regina just couldn’t bring herself to actually care what Emma Swan was. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks into her lessons Emma realized that Regina was purposely dragging the process out. At first she just thought Regina was a stickler about posture. But once their lessons became 30% actually riding and 70% them goofing off she concluded that the brunette just wanted to hang out.

At least, that’s exactly what they were doing. In between school and actually working on the farm Emma spent the better part of her evenings with Regina. Mostly they just talked, sometimes they rode horses, and other times they would do homework. Of course it was all under the guise of ‘lessons’ but Emma had figured out the basics of riding after the third day. 

She just didn’t want her time with the brunette to end. 

On occasion Regina would follow her around while she did the actual work she was suppose to be doing on the farm. Emma would be busy unloading hay and the brunette would sit perched on a fence or a barrel, book in hand reading away. Emma always harassed her saying she could help and Regina would just say “then what would we need you for Miss Swan?” 

That always made her laugh. 

They were the same age, in the same grade, and somewhat friends and Regina used formal titles. She was weird, but Emma kind of dug it about her. 

The blonde figured that either Regina was just bored or didn’t want to go inside the daunting mansion to deal with her parents. Who she had learned were quite hard on the brunette. Some of their talking actually involved these types of glimpses into the girl’s world, and other parts she saw with her own two eyes. 

At school the brunette would barely look at her. When they passed each other in the hall Regina would pretend to be busy with something, too much so to notice her. Emma would just smile slightly as she walked by as if it didn’t bother her. It actually didn’t too much because it kind of made her feel like whatever was between them was real. 

Emma figured out pretty fast that the Regina Mills she knew, and the one who terrorized Storybrooke High were two different people. At school the brunette was a force to be reckoned with. She was the most popular girl, which already came with snotty expectations that she fulfilled perfectly. She was also at the top of their class, in charge of like every school function, and a girlfriend. That one kind of threw Emma through a loop. Once when they were coming out of English this handsome stud came up to the brunette and kissed her right in the hallway. Regina had pushed him off, but Emma saw the playful smile on her lips and she knew that he was definitely her boyfriend.

Who the brunette never once mentioned in their time spent together. Which Emma thought was telling, as most teenage girls never shut-up about their lovers. 

That had not been a good day for the blonde. 

Regina was always so put together at school. Her clothes were designer, fit perfectly, and reeked of prep school charm. Sometimes she even wore heels! How the girl got her hair to sit so perfectly she’d never know. Oh and the amount of make-up caked on the chick’s face made Emma think Regina had some serious vanity issues. 

Which why in the fuck she had those when she was the single most gorgeous person on the planet was unknown. 

On the farm Regina was…well not that girl. She often wore blue jeans, or riding pants with stains on them. Shirts that were either button-up flannels or comfy thermals. Boots were always on her feet, and her hair was usually pulled back in a braid or just fell loosely around her face. No make-up to be seen, and she was not quite so mean. Emma actually found her to be open, funny, smart, sassy, and a bit emotional at times. 

The smile was the big giveaway. Regina Mills had the most beautiful smile that Emma had ever seen. On a rare occasion it broke out on the girl’s face that is. Like when Emma told a stupid joke and Regina would roll her eyes but after a minute of fighting it that grin would spread it’s way up her whole face. That was it, Regina’s smile lit up her entire face: eyes, nose, lips, and cheeks. It took over her features and for a split second Regina was pure magic. 

Emma never saw that smile at school. Occasionally she would give a polite grin, or curl the ends of her lips up a bit. But it was not the same. That’s why she kind of figured she was getting to know the real Regina Mills and not the high school edition the rest of the town was familiar with. 

And she had no idea why she was getting such a gift. 

It was around this time that Mary Margaret invited Emma over to a monthly game night that her friends held. She was expecting the church mouse’s friends to be playing a rousing round of scrabble or monopoly. 

Nope. Not even close.

Instead Emma showed up at David’s apartment, which facilitated these shenanigans, to find Ruby, Belle, Mulan, and M&M seated around a poker table smoking black and milds while taking pulls out of a tequila bottle. 

“Holy shit,” was out of her mouth as soon as she stepped through the door. It would seem that Storybrooke was not so boring after all, if you knew the right people. 

“There’s a seat over here,” the girl named Red informed. Emma like Ruby. She had met her a couple times at school and she found her blunt ways to be hilarious. 

“Um should I be scared here?” Emma questioned as she took off her jacket and took a seat. Mulan was wearing a pair of neon green sunglass that hid her face. Snow was already half in the bag as she kept swigging from the bottle. And Belle glared at her when she sat between her and Ruby, but then she smiled as a puff of smoke escaped her lips. 

“Don’t tell me you’re a prude Swan?” Belle asked, offering the blonde a cigarette. Emma raised her eyebrows in defiance, grabbed the tobacco stick and lit it. She was never much of a smoker, except for when she drank. And she was evidently going to be doing that tonight, so. 

“We’ve got ourselves a rebel girls,” Mulan called as she started shuffling up the deck. Emma knew the least about her. She’d seen the chick in passing a few times, she was always quiet, but that was a joke apparently. 

“Just experienced,” Snow added with a wink at her friend. 

“And here I thought you were little Miss Innocent from the way David talks about you,” Emma challenged as she took the liquor bottle offered to her. There was a collective sound of “ohhh” that had the pixie-haired girl grinning. “He knows as good as anybody that I know how to have a good time.” 

“Here, here,” Ruby cheered. 

Okay, Mary Margaret was now her favorite person. 

Emma let the tequila slide down her throat just barely as it burned terribly without a chaser. “Haven’t ya’ll ever heard of limes and salt?” she croaked after. “For pussies,” Belle declared as she took alcohol off the blonde’s hand. 

“So Emma Swan there are some ground rules for our poker night. Nothing that happens here ever leaves here. You leave your relationships at the door. And we always honor our bets. You in?” 

“Sounds fair.” 

Emma should have known she was in trouble when all four women smiled deviously after she agreed. She was going to be in for one hell of a night. 

“One condition, we’ve got to play some music,” the blonde proclaimed. “Way ahead of you Swan,” Belle said as she hit a button on a tiny remote next to her. 

The sounds of AC/DC’s thunderstruck started to fill the room and Emma knew she had found her people. 

Poker started out fairly innocent. Well, as innocent as drinking, smoking, and cards can be with a couple of rebellious teenage girls. They shared gossip, talked about everything and anything, and laughed a lot. Emma found herself truly enjoying this group of girls. 

The alcohol aided turning poker into strip poker eventually. Which resulted in Ruby being down to her bra and underwear after two hands. Emma kind of thought it was on purpose because of the way Belle was eyeing her. There was definitely something there. 

Mulan was kicking all of their asses which had her thinking there was something behind the magical green glasses. Bets were more like dares or truths that they had to call represented by the chips on the table. 

That had Emma doing a body shot off both Belle and Ruby. Confessing to a petty theft she committed in middle school, and getting so shit-face she couldn’t see. Belle ended up telling everyone she had sex behind the bleachers with a mystery person. Red hadn’t liked that too much, and that had to mean it wasn’t her. Snow played well, and Emma realized she hadn’t given the girl enough credit. Mulan won then promptly passed out on the floor. 

Overall it was actually a fun night. Emma was surprised by it. Emma and Ruby ended up being the last ones awake. Belle, Snow, and Mulan were scattered randomly across the apartment. One on the coffee table, another on the couch, and a third on the kitchen counter. 

The two live ones sat with on the floor of the kitchen with their backs resting against the cabinets. Emma was drunk, but not that drunk as she was still sipping on the beer she found in the fridge. They were sharing a cigarette together that prompted some deep late-night talking. 

“What’s your story?” Red asked, as smoke slipped from her lips. 

“Orphan, got sent here on a rehabilitation program instead of juvie. The Jones are my foster family.” She was drunk enough to confess that, but for some reason she really did like Ruby. She got the vibe that there was more under the sassy exterior of the hot waitress. 

“Ah, I figured something like that,” was the chick’s response as she smiled at Emma. No pity, no sympathy, no uncomfortable squirming. Just plain acceptance, and that was the end of it. Emma really liked her. 

Ruby pulled down the cuff of her shirt exposing her left wrist. There was a tattoo there of three tally marks. “Families I was in before they reunited me with my long-lost grandmother. Nothing sucks quite like foster care.” 

And Emma Swan had just found her new best friend. 

Emma wanted to flat out kiss her. But, she didn’t. That explained her complete understanding of her situation. The blonde merely shook her head in acknowledgement as she took another puff. A comfortable silence passed between them until Emma turned to the brunette with a telling grin. 

“What about you and Belle?” Emma pressed, smiling that she now had the upper-hand. Red wasn’t the only one who could play detective. Truthfully, children of the system were good at sizing people up in general. 

Ruby raised her eyebrow, grinning like a fool. “Are we that obvious?” 

“Only if you have eyes,” Emma retorted taking the cigarette for her turn. Red let out a chuckle as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. 

“She’s the coolest person I’ve ever met, but I don’t know how it will work,” Ruby confessed, shrugging her shoulders as if it didn’t matter. But, Emma could tell that her new friend cared for the girl currently snoring on the counter.

“You make it.” 

“I would have thought you would understand life’s not that simple.” 

“Oh I do, but if you want something in this world you have to take it. It’s not going to hand you stuff.” 

“Profound wisdom for a drunk girl,” Ruby teased, deflecting the intense feelings she was having right now.  
Later that night her own words replayed in her head as she sifted inside her pocket for her phone. Emma typed: 

_Thinking of you_

And sent it to Regina before she passed out, dreaming about the brunette. 

\------------------------------------------------------

It was date night. 

Or so that’s what their group of friends affectionately called it. Regina, Graham, Kathryn, and Neal would all get together on Saturday nights. Usually they got dinner and went to see a movie. Hence, date night, but two participants weren’t actually dating and never would. 

Regina usually enjoyed this time spent with her friends, but tonight she was not in the mood. Her day had been absolute shit as her Mother informed her she’d be attending Harvard in the fall. That’s right told her, as if she had no say in the matter whatsoever. She hadn’t even been accepted yet. Then she found out she got a B on her history paper which was not allowed in the Mills’ residence. Plus, she knew that Graham would want to have sex tonight and that was enough to have her being a Debbie downer. 

“What’s up your ass?” Kathryn had asked when they had fallen back behind the guys as they walked to the movies. 

“Nothing.” 

“Well you’re being as prickly as a cactus Regina.” 

“I got a B.” 

Kathryn actually looked shocked. “Damn.” 

“Yeah,” Regina confirmed with a nod. 

“Does dragon lady know?” 

Regina laughed at her best friend’s pet name for her Mom and for that insane question. “No.” 

“Keep it that way,” Kat warned knowing full well how that conversation would go down. Then Regina would really be in a bad mood. “How the fuck did you get a B?” 

Regina bowed her head in shame because she knew why. Regina hadn’t been focused lately. She was spending so much time with Emma and not nearly enough on her work. She knew this was going to bight her in the ass. Regina should have never started giving her lessons. 

“I’ve been distracted,” she reasoned. 

“This is about that Swan girl isn’t it? I’ve seen you hanging out with her after school Regina.”

The brunette’s throat constricted at that. “I’ve been giving her riding lessons.” 

“Okay I will accept that answer because your boyfriend is five feet away, but we both know that it’s not about riding a horse.”

Leave it to Kathryn to be so brash. 

Regina’s cheeks burned bright red as she wondered if she was really that transparent. Or if Kathryn just knew her that well because they had been best friends forever. 

The blonde reached down and took Regina’s hand in hers. “I’m not judging you, I’m just telling you to get your shit together. I love you either way Regina, you know that.”

Regina really did. 

She smiled affectionately at Kathryn who gave her a wink. They walked hand-in-hand the whole way to the theater as Neal made stupid jokes, and Graham teased them about being lesbian lovers. He didn’t need to know that there was some truth to that statement, but that was long ago. By the time they got to the movies she was feeling better. 

Until the comfort of her best friend was replaced with her boyfriend’s hand that felt like a strangers. But she held tight hoping that maybe it would make her feel something for him again. Or disguise her own emotions for tonight. 

Graham was clueless as ever. He just smiled his way through the evening enjoying the time with his friends. She had to wonder if he even suspected anything, but he was far too nice to ever say something if he did. Graham was not that kind of guy. 

He doted on her through dinner, and when she pulled his hand away from her pant’s button at the end of the night after they had steamed up his truck, he just shrugged and kissed her on the nose. Then Graham drove her home, walked her to the front door, and kissed her lightly goodnight. A perfect fucking gentlemen. And she wanted nothing to do with him. Her life was becoming far too complicated. 

It was around midnight, while she was lying in her bed staring at the glow in the dark stars on her ceiling that she heard her phone beep. She thought it might be Graham with some flirty goodnight text, but it was from Emma. 

**Thinking about you.**

Regina laughed outright, because if only the blonde knew. So, she decided to throw caution to the wind as she typed back:

**_And I you._**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! I will try and get back to you, promise.


	3. I Sort Of Miss You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same disclaimer as before. 
> 
> Sorry this took longer to figure out. Please enjoy. Thanks again for reading. Loving the comments so far, keep them coming because they are giving me lots of ideas!!!

Farm work was hard. 

Much harder than Emma could have ever anticipated. 

She had a newfound appreciation for ranchers, and a desire to find a way to get the smell of animals out of her hair because shampoo wasn’t cutting it anymore. 

The plus side to the seriously intense physical labor was that she was getting a first-rate workout on the regular. It was more noticeable when she had her shirt off in front of the mirror, but her arms were getting rather toned too. 

David hadn’t been kidding when he said most of her work was going to be busting her ass. Because she was the greenhorn and a ‘criminal’ everyone pretty much thought they were in charge of her. Emma never argued with them, knowing that this job was her last chance at getting her act together. But, that meant she was everybody’s bitch. And boy did taking order suck. 

School was actually going alright for once. She was passing everything. It had only been a month, but that was a month longer than she had ever made it before without failing. Her English teacher said she showed promise after she turned in her first paper. Science was still an enigma to her, but she at least tried. 

Tink was pleased. Said she had been getting good reviews so far, and no fights. Emma was improving, and she felt like maybe she could do something productive with her life for the first time in, well, ever. She just wished she could actually enjoy it. 

The problem was that Regina hadn’t talked to her in a week. Ever since she sent that stupid fucking message when she was drunk she had barely seen a trace of the brunette. And that was not sitting well with Emma. 

When the blonde woke up to Regina’s reply Emma just assumed that she was feeling whatever the hell was passing between them ever since they met too. She still wasn’t quite sure what that was or if she even wanted to figure it out. But, then the brunette just went ghost on her. 

Emma tried not to take it personally. She really tried to pretend like she didn’t care. She was good at that. The blonde was a pro at disguising her emotions, and letting them seep out of her in other forms. Like stacking giant barrels of hay in a shed by herself with more vigor than absolutely necessary for hours. That’s how Emma dealt with stuff, she just put her head down and worked. 

People came and went in her life. She prided herself on not forming actual bonds with them. Hell, she shared a room with a girl for a year, and never once spoke to her. It was the only way she was able to protect herself. Emma closed herself off so she didn’t have to feel the pain, the void that they left in her when she was shipped off. No one had ever stayed, or tried to, and she didn’t need them to.

And Regina fucking Mills somehow destroyed all of that in ten seconds flat. 

Emma had no idea what it was about the girl. Sure, she was attractive, but that was hardly important to her. She was drawn to Regina in a way that she had never experienced. People didn’t have effects on her, they didn’t drive her insane because the blonde never cared about someone enough to let them. But, Regina, Regina did that. She drove her crazy, and was infuriating, and a serious smart-ass, opinionated, bossy, and so, so sweet when she wanted to be. 

Fuck. 

It was her eyes. Those coffee-brown orbs of secrets and dreams burned a hole in her very person. It was like she could read everything about Emma in a glance. No explanation, no discussion, nothing. She brought her to her knees with a look, and Emma was defenseless against it. 

Regina would look her in the eyes, and the blonde would fall beneath her gaze, her walls crumbling in an instant. Emma didn’t even bother to care. Instead, she just never wanted to stop looking at Regina. The most worrisome part was that she could sense it in the brunette. Regina was better at hiding her emotions, but Emma could feel the difference between them. Like they had a connection and she didn’t know how to deal with it either. 

It was crazy. 

Seeing as how they barely knew each other. 

But it was almost as if that didn’t matter. Like on some fundamental level they were in sync. As if they had known each other their entire lives. 

She was such an idiot. Seriously. Emma worked for the girl’s family, and that was what she kept telling herself. That Regina had been intrigued by the fresh face in the rinky-dink town. Once she had gotten her fix of new blood, she had gotten bored and run back into the arms of the guy with a chiseled face. After Emma had finished making a fool of herself. 

It was lies. She knew it was lies, but they helped ease the lingering torment that Emma found herself in. 

All of this nonsense that had been occupying the majority of her thinking over the past week was from nothing more than a couple of stolen moments and a few earnest gazes. Emma had convinced herself that she had dreamed up the intense, unspoken connection they had. It was all fantasy. 

That and working her fingers to the bone to help her forget. David had forced her to go home the other night. When it hit eleven he came out and had to physically stop her to snap her out of the daze she had gotten herself in. 

“Get some rest,” he urged with a sincere face. 

The blonde hadn’t gotten any of course. But, at least Emma had a boss looking out for her for once. Not taking advantage of her fragile state to manipulate more work out of the poor girl. 

Emma couldn’t help but think that the whole ordeal was getting pathetic was getting pathetic. She was fucking brooding over a tentative friendship based off of a car accident. 

The blonde was going crazy, so she had to do something. She seriously debated just tracking the brunette down, but that was psychotic. Text messages were obviously not the way to go with them. So that left Emma with one forum: 

A letter. 

She had spent the better part of two nights writing it. Then another going over it to make sure it was legible and not incredibly stupid. Emma almost asked Mary Margaret to proofread it, but that would not help her situation. 

So, the envelope hung out of her back pocket as she re-filled the horses’ water troughs. On her way home Emma planned to drop it off in their mailbox, and eventually it would make its way to the brunette. Hopefully Regina would talk to her again, or at least then she’d have an answer from the girl on where they stood as friends. Or strangers.

Later that day when the blonde slipped the letter in the mail, she could have sworn she saw Regina standing in one of the windows. Emma was busy trying to decipher if the shadow was indeed the girl to notice that Henry Mills’ Cadillac was pulling up behind her. 

She nearly jumped out of her skin was she turned around to see the noble man getting out of the car. Regina looked nothing like her Dad, but there were faint traces of the man in other pieces of her, like her personality. The blonde wasn’t sure if he saw her fiddling with his mailbox, because he was smiling politely at her as if he didn’t. 

“Emma, right?” Henry inquired, a pleasant tone to his voice that reminded her a little of his daughter. 

“Yes, sir,” Emma replied, caught in an awkward situation. She wanted to run away, but this was her boss, that was not an option. It just felt wrong, because…well, because of Regina. Which was stupid because they weren’t even anything important, and like he needed to know every person his daughter hung out with. But, Emma knew how much the man meant to the brunette, and it felt like a violation of her privacy to be meeting him without the girl’s consent. 

“You’re a very hard worker Emma. I see you out there slaving away. If I could just get ten more like you this place would be running like a machine,” he noted. As he strolled up past her to the mailbox. She felt her whole body tense as he reached in to grab the bundle. 

Emma was conflicted by her feelings of utter panic and appreciation for his kind words. This dude was like a zillionaire. The type of person to never even give her a second glance, but as it turned out he knew her name and was paying her a compliment. 

“Thank you, sir.” Henry laughed a good-hearted chuckle at that. “Please, don’t call me sir. I’m an old man, I know, but I don’t like being reminded of it.” 

“I wouldn’t call you old,” was out of her mouth faster than any common sense could catch-up. 

_Shit. Not the right thing to say._

But, he laughed. So that meant she was in the clear. Phew. As the man sorted through his mail, his eyes seemed to stop of a particular envelope before he glanced back up to her. 

“Glad somebody doesn’t. Maybe you could tell my daughter that? She seems to listen to you.” 

Okay…that just got them to a new level of surprise. 

“Regina?” Emma repeated, hesitantly. She wasn’t sure where this conversation was going, or how they even got into it.  
Apparently Henry Mills is well aware of her friendship with his daughter and fine with it too? 

“Well that is my only daughter, unless there’s more I don’t know about. She said she was giving you riding lessons?”

“Yeah, she was.”

His eyes glaze over a bit at her answer. As if the man is connecting some dots in his head. But, it’s only for a few seconds before his courteous expression appears again. 

“Then you’ll be riding like a professional in no time. No one quite knows their way around a horse like her.” His face lights up when he talks about his daughter, and that makes Emma happy for some reason. 

“No, no they don’t,” Emma agrees with a smile. Because not many people know how much those creatures mean to the girl. 

“Are you walking home?” He’s noticed her backpack and the fact that no one’s pulled up in the past five minutes. 

“Yes, Mr. Mills.” 

“Polite girl, I like that. Let me give you a ride.” 

“No, I’m afraid I can’t accept that.” 

“Nonsense. I think I can afford to give my best stablehand a ride home.” 

“Thank you sir, that’s very generous. I was just counting on the walk to clear my head.” 

He narrows his eyes at her, but she can tell he’s not going to push anymore on that subject. Henry Mills dips his head as he strolls back to his open car door. 

“Regina is a sensitive girl. She doesn’t take to people easily,” he says as he gets into the vehicle. 

Emma isn’t sure if that’s a warning or an informing. But either way Henry is eyeing her as if she’s dating his daughter. For some weird reason she feels like the man would be fine with that. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” is her only reply. Because what is she even suppose to say to that? 

Mr. Mills puts his car in gear, and Emma is hoping that this conversation is over when the man adds, “Her bark is far worse than her bite by the way. Whatever you’re fighting about she’ll get over it.” 

Emma is standing there dumbstruck as the man drives off. She isn’t sure whether she just got permission to be Regina’s friend from the Mayor or what. How he even figured out that they were friends, and that they had been fighting was a damn riddle. It would appear that being able to see right through people’s bullshit was a family trait. 

But Emma can’t help but laugh to herself the whole way home because Henry Mills is just as peculiar as his daughter. And now Mary Margaret and David’s reactions are starting to make sense. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

She had been playing this game for a week now. 

Regina was sitting at her desk doing massive amounts of work when she spotted Emma for the first time that day. The position was her usual occupation from the time she got home until dinner for most nights. That is before Emma Swan started overtaking her life. The brunette would rake over various assignments and other work that she had piling up for hours in her room. Now that she was ignoring the blonde, she sat there again, trying to concentrate on work. All the while counting how many times she saw Emma out of her window that overlooked the entire farm. 

Two.

People never did understand the amount of effort that went in to being a “Mills” as her Mother so easily put it. Countless sleepless nights, plenty of sacrificed social events, and a lot of time spent with her nose in a book. That was what it took to get to the top, and stay there.

Three. Damn it. 

Emma had somehow caused Regina to stray from that routine for awhile, but now she was back on track. If she could just focus on her computer screen long enough to stop playing Where Is Waldo with Emma out of her window. 

Four. 

Regina was starting to piss herself off. 

Frustrated she exited out of all her windows until nothing but her screensaver was left. It was a picture of her and Graham from four years ago. She let out a sigh at the very glimpse of it. 

Graham was her one excuse to have a semi-normal life. Around her freshman year Cora started pestering her about dating. Apparently it was a necessary, normal activity that she was to partake in. It became clear that was her Mother’s way of saying she was going to be setting Regina up with boys she deemed suitable to be her future husbands. 

That’s how she met Graham.

She had been through a dozen of the set-ups. Each one a horny teenage male with a wealthy background that were after her tits or ass, or both, but never much more. Then one night a strikingly handsome fellow with a sharp wit and a nice demeanor joined her family for dinner. 

He was intelligent, charming, and just the right amount of sarcastic for Regina’s taste. She ended up spending more time with him, and eventually he asked her to be his girlfriend. The brunette had said yes because she enjoyed his company, and because it was what everyone told her she was suppose to do. Having a boyfriend was a large part of high school experience, and Graham was as good as anybody. 

Plus, it would get Cora off her back. 

Regina gazed furiously at her computer remembering the look of pure joy on her Mother’s face when she told Cora about Graham. She had never seen the woman more satisfied with her, and hadn’t since. Not even when Regina got a perfect score on her SATs that would grant her acceptance to practically every college in America. Nothing Regina did would ever be enough to please her. 

The picture was taken at the very beginning of their relationship. Regina had gone to one of his wrestling matches and Graham had won. Back when she made it a point to go support her boyfriend, now she rarely made it out for a match. He had pulled her into a giant, gross, wet hug that she had tried to squirm out of. He found it funny as he tried to wipe his sweat on her purposely, and Regina had laughed hysterically as she tried to escape him. That’s when Kathryn had snapped the photo. 

Regina fixated her vision on the desktop, her mind wandering back to that time. They had been so carefree then. Infatuation at its finest. 

Life was different. There wasn’t nearly as much pressure or as much drama. The honeymoon phase was well underway when the snapshot was taken. Compared to now they had been babies. Four years later the couple was still together, but Regina rarely saw that look on Graham’s face anymore. She could only guess it was because she never tried to put it there. 

Regina’s mind wandered away from the work she had to do, and the screen to the pastures that her window gave a great view of. She was very lucky to live in such a beautiful place. Regina gazed out across the stables, searching for a sign of her horse Aramis being worked out. 

There was no sign of him or Emma though.

Regina glanced back to the picture that showed a time when she once felt the same way about Graham that she now felt at just the sight of Emma. She swallowed wishing that what was happening would stop, but Regina knew it probably wouldn’t. Why her heart thought it was a great idea to fight with her mind was beyond her. One always won.

It was then that there was a knock at her door. 

The brunette quickly pulled up her history paper draft as she shouted, “come in.” 

“Daddy,” she greeted with a large smile, getting up to give her father a big hug. It was always a nice surprise when he decided to pay her a visit. Which was a rare occasion as he almost seemed afraid of Regina’s room. Like she was conducting horrible girl experiments up there or something. 

“Mija,” he cooed as the man kissed the top of her head. 

“What brings you up here?” Regina falls back into her desk chair as Henry sits on the edge of her bed, holding out an envelope. 

“This came for you today. Thought I’d deliver it myself.” There’s no postage, and no return address. Just a plain white envelope with Regina scribbled across it in some rather atrocious handwriting. 

“That’s strange,” she notes as the brunette takes the letter from him. Henry smiles in a sad sort of way, as he clasps his hands together in front of him. A gesture Regina’s grown to associate with her Dad being nervous. 

“I think your friend Emma dropped it off for you. I saw her putting it in the mailbox.” 

Regina stops herself from opening the envelope as her mind catches up with his words. Then she realizes that it was what her Father who just said that. 

“How did you-“ 

“Regina, you’ve been my daughter for eighteen years. Not once have I ever seen you speak to one of our stablehands for more than a minute.” 

“I was giving her lessons,” Regina defends. But Henry shoots her a disbelieving look that has her cowering. Her Father has always been able to tell when she’s lying. 

“There is nothing wrong with being her friend Regina.” 

She’s a bit shocked that her Dad is so okay with it. And that he figured it out on his own. She suspected that he’d be as disapproving as Cora, but he seemed composed as ever.

“We’re not exactly speaking at the moment,” Regina confesses, because she needs to say it to somebody. It’s been torture walking around as if nothing was wrong. Even if the brunette is use to doing it. 

“So that’s why you’ve been in a foul mood all week,” he pronounces, a smug smile on his face. She shoots him a glare that reminds him too much of his wife. 

“I have not.” 

The man glares at his daughter, silently scolding her for lying and Regina shrinks back into her chair a bit.

“Talk to her Regina. She’s obviously trying to talk to you,” he advises, pointing to the envelope residing on her desk. 

“How do you know it’s me and not her?” she huffs, insulted that somehow these things are always her fault. Like when her and Mary Margaret had a falling out her father automatically blamed her anger issues. 

“Because I know you mija,” he claims with a twinkle in his eye. The man stands from his seat, smiling at her as he goes to the door. “Your temper is atrocious, you get it from your Mother’s side of course,” he teases. And she can’t help but smile at him because it is true. 

“Thank you, Daddy.” 

“You’re welcome,” he bids, as he leaves her alone. 

Regina’s eyes wander down to the plain paper barrier wondering what lurks behind it. She’s never been one for patience, so she rips it open. 

_Regina,_  
 _I never thought I’d miss your snide comments, but I find mucking stalls is boring without your shinning commentary to entertain me._

_I’m sorry._

_I don’t know what for exactly, as I’m not sure what has angered you so much to have you hiding from me. I figured I could apologize better in a letter, because I’m not so good with talking if you haven’t noticed. And you haven’t been around for me to try in person._

_But, I would really like the chance to try talk to you. I understand if I never see you again, but I hope that’s not the case. Because I kind of think you’re the coolest person I’ve ever met. Was that lame? I sound lame, but whatever. I’ll deny it if anyone asks. But, it’s true._

_Please talk to me again?_

_Yours,_  
 _Emma_

Regina stared at the letter for twenty minutes. She could feel the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes as she read it over and over again. It made her heart hurt, not because it was sad. But, because no one had ever cared enough to send her a letter. The only thing her mind could process was how much she cared for this girl. 

_Damn it, Emma._

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Emma sat cross-legged on her cot that was disguised as a bed with: a pencil between her teeth, her hair pulled off her face, and math homework in front of her. She had never cared much for school, but part of this program was not flunking out so she had to at least try. The blonde was having a hard time focusing on the damn assignment when all she could think about was whether or not Regina had read her damn letter. She could just imagine those chocolate brown eyes pouring over it in utter disgust. 

No. No, she couldn’t think of her that way. Regina was her friend. That was what this was about. She wanted the girl in her life, and that had to be as a friend. Nothing more. 

She was getting lost in the memory of the girl who now occupied most of her day-dreaming when there was knock on the door. 

That was strange. 

In a few weeks of staying with the Jones and she had never once heard or seen from the family that had agreed to give her shelter in exchange for a check she’d probably never see any part of. 

When she opened the door there was a rather handsome chap clad in leather leaning against the jamb with the most smug grin she had ever seen. To be fair, he was astonishingly handsome, as far as boys went, but that smirk was cocky and that never sat well with Emma.

“Can I help you?” the blonde greeted.

“Killian, Killian Jones. David tells me you’re my new foster sister?” he asked lifting an eyebrow that was definitely plucked. Was that an Irish accent?

“I suppose…” 

“Sorry about that. It would seem you’ve already met my parents.” 

“Yes, they’re-“

“A horrible bunch of people, but you’ll have to forgive them. They’ve lost something and like to think they’ll find it again at the end of a liquor bottle.” 

He must be talking about Liam. Clever wording. 

“Can’t say I haven’t tried that myself.” She wasn’t sure how she’d live if she outlived her own child. 

“You drink?” he asked, all too eager. He was definitely flirting with her now. Or maybe that was just his personality. This guy had the air of someone who would flirt with a boulder.

“On occasion.” 

“You’ll have to excuse my bad manners. You see, I no longer live with my parents, and was unaware of your presence. If I had known I would have come along sooner. I know they’re not exactly hospitable.” 

“And you are?” Emma questioned disbelievingly. Skepticism ran heavy within her past, and it was rearing its head now. 

“I’m not drunk 80% of the time, more like 40, so you’ll have a better chance with me if you actually need something. Are they feeding you?”

“I get by.” 

The young man dropped his head. “I wonder if it would just be better for you to stay with me.” 

“Pretty sure my social worker wouldn’t agree with that.” 

At the mention of blonde-haired woman who owned Emma’s ass the man’s eyes grew sad. His features remained stoic, but she could see how the very thought of Tink sank his heart where he stood. 

“How are you getting around?” 

“You don’t have to take care of me Gilligan.” He let out a snort, “friends call me Hook, it’s easier.” 

“Alright Hook, and no I don’t want to know the backstory to that nickname. You’re not my babysitter. I can manage just fine.” Emma wasn’t even sure how she got into this conversation, or who the fuck was nicknamed something as stupid as Hook, but there was something about this guy that told her she was safe with him. That was a feeling she rarely ever got in life, so she trusted it when it came. Her gut never lied. But he didn’t need to know that. 

“No offense love, you’re a seventeen-year-old girl with no resources, no parents, and nothing to your name. I don’t very well intend to run your life Emma, but I would like to make sure that you have someone looking out for you. If you’ll let me, that is. 

I know a thing or two about the world love, and just how ugly it can be. I’m sure you’re all too familiar with it yourself. Consider me whatever you have to, as long as you let me help.” His voice was sincere as he looked Emma straight on. She could only imagine what secrets lay beneath that face. 

Emma debated his words. She was basically stranded in Storybrooke with nothing more than her looks and charm. Now, that had always been enough for her before, but the idea of having at least one person she could contact if she needed a place to crash was appealing. Her survival instincts were tingling.

“If I let you, what exactly does that entail?” She would never give it up that easy. While her heart craved someone in her life, her pride wouldn’t let her admit it.

“Protection, food, and a motorcycle.” 

“A what?” 

Ten minutes later Emma found herself outside of the garage she usually resided above with her newfound foster brother staring at an ancient dirt bike. It had to be at least twenty years old, but it was still a thing of beauty to Emma. It meant no more strolling down Dreary Lane with creepy men to hit on her and brunette’s with lead foots. 

“I get to use this?” 

“Yep,” was Hook’s curt reply. He knew he had the blonde hooked with the proposition as soon as he opened the garage doors. 

“Because you are a kind, generous soul,” Emma mocked. A grin spread across the scruffy man’s face that was rather alluring itself. He fiddled with his belt buckle and shifted his weight. “Not everyone’s out to get you.” 

She wanted desperately to believe him. 

“What do I have to do for this?” Nothing came free. 

“Whatever Tink says,” his voice faltered at the name of his ex-girlfriend. 

“No catch?” 

“Dinner, every Tuesday after you get off work from the funny farm. I’m going to be needing to keep tabs on you Swan.” 

It clicked in her head. What Hook wanted from her…

“I won’t mention anything about your parents,” Emma offered. Hook’s vision diverted to the ground. He was clearly ashamed of his intentions. She had been offered less to do more by far nastier people in life.

“They were good people once,” was all he uttered as the solemn sound of night took over them as the newfound friend’s mind traveled to that time. 

“You don’t owe me an explanation. Bribe me like this more often and I’ll sing their praises down main street.” 

He laughed, and it seemed to shake of the dreary memories that were weighing him down. The light sparkled back into his eyes again, “I’ll see what I can do.” 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sammy Pescateli taught her how to ride a dirt bike. He had one that he stole off a rich kid, and he use to ride it around the streets illegally. He had a bit of a crush on her, and he use to use the bike as a way of talking to her. Emma was only ever interested in the machine, not him. But, the blonde still knew to use her charms to her advantage. So, Sammy’s crush proved useful for something. 

Because now Emma had a motorcycle. 

Having some form of transportation was a God sent. The girl no longer had to worry about Neal stalking her on her way to work. Even though the little ass found other ways to annoy her. Emma wished that she actually found the guy bothersome, but really he was entirely harmless. He had a crush and she kind of sympathized. Neal wasn’t so bad once you got underneath all the scruff. 

She was definitely going to have to invest in a helmet. That was the first thing that came to mind when Emma started for the Mills’ farm that morning. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a pony tail, but she looked like medusa once she got to work that morning. Oh, and it would prevent her head from splattering across the road. 

David had lit up when she pulled in on the bike. “I see you’ve met Killian,” he noted as she hopped off the machine. 

“Yeah, I see why you like him,” Emma called playfully as she put the kickstand down. 

“He’s alright,” David said with a shrug. The blonde could tell he had a total man-crush on his friend. 

Emma and David spend the better part of the morning working some of the horses out. He’s training her how to do it, and for the past week they’ve been focusing on helping horses get their different gates. Apparently some don’t take to them as easily as others. The blonde is finding that the animals have personalities just like humans. 

Oddly enough she kind of likes working with horses. 

It’s Saturday, so Emma has to work all day. And instead of heading off to school after her and David finish, Emma starts the morning chores. As she’s dumping some of the feed into a wheelbarrow to later be dispersed in the horses’ stalls the blonde catches something out of the corner of her eye. 

Emma drops the scoop she’s been using, and turns to see Regina Mills sitting on the nearby fence, reading. The brunette doesn’t look up from her book as Emma openly gawks at her. She merely continues to read as if she’s been sitting in that spot since the beginning of time. 

It’s only after five long minutes of staring that Regina says, “Miss Swan there are a great many animals in desperate need of their breakfast. I suggest you get to it before I am forced to report you for negligence to your duties.” It’s the smug tone of Regina’s voice, and the way that she smiles that tells Emma she’s been forgiven. 

And Emma has never felt such exultation. 

Regina follows her around all day casting a few sarcastic comments here and there. Mostly she reads, and once or twice Emma catches her staring at her too. Not much is spoken, but there is a mutual sort of satisfaction at being in each other’s presence again. 

It’s not till the end of her shift that they actually talk. David tells her she’s done for the day after he shoots Regina a “hey” clearly surprised by her presence. Then he scatters like the smart man he can be picking up on their desire to be alone. 

“Want to go on a walk?” Emma ventures, and Regina nods as they stroll along one of the pebble covered paths that lead to largest pastures on the property. They’ve let most of the animals out to graze today, and there is nothing but acres of beautiful horses lazily munching on grass. 

“I got your letter,” Regina admits in nothing more than a whisper. Her eyes are focused on the beasts before them, but Emma can sense that she’s only doing that so that she doesn’t have some sort of breakdown. Regina is not one for showing weakness. Of that she is sure. 

“I figured as much,” is Emma’s smart reply. 

They keep walking, and a comfortable silence passes over them for awhile. Nothing but the faint glimmers of the sun on their faces, and the chilly air filling the void around them. Regina begins to shiver, so Emma takes off her leather jacket and offers it to the brunette; who blatantly turns her nose up at it. Until the blonde smiles at her, and she relents, letting the red drape over her shoulders. 

“I feel like red riding hood,” Regina notes. 

And Emma laughs, “and we’re in the woods. Coincidence I think not?” Regina scowls at her, but finds herself smiling at how much that tickled Emma. 

They’ve wondered into the wilderness aimlessly. Regina finds an old tree that’s been uprooted in a storm laying across the forest’s floor. The brunette sits, and Emma follows suit. The blonde glances around, taking in the serenity of the country wondering when someone is actually going to say something. Until she can no longer take the silence. 

“I got a motorcycle.” Regina head turns ever so slowly in a creepy way to stare at Emma in utter horror. “You’ll kill yourself,” she snaps. And the blonde has the nerve to laugh. She doesn't understand the gravity of the situation, or doesn't care. 

“Nah. It’s better than walking anyway.” 

“Hardly. Those things are dangerous Emma,” Regina scolds. 

Emma smirks at her. “More dangerous than being run over by a car? I think I’ll take my chances." 

Regina doesn’t say anything after that because the blonde has a point. She’s trying to think of how to broach the subject, but Emma beats her to it. 

“I’m sorry,” Emma bursts. Regina turns to her, lips pursed as she takes in the blonde who is staring intently at her. 

“You have no reason to be sorry. I acted immaturely by ignoring you.” 

“No you didn’t. I probably would have done the same thing,” the blonde says with a shrug. She would. Emma was known to run from problems. 

“I’m not good at being people’s friend Emma,” Regina informs with a voice full of trepidation. The blonde reaches out to tip the girl’s face up by her chin so that their eyes locked. 

“Me either.” 

Regina’s heart speeds up, her breath grows shallow, and she can’t stop feeling like nothing has ever been more real in her life than the girl in front of her. So, she turns away, breaking Emma’s glare as it has powerful effects on her. 

“What is this things between us?” Regina asks, power finding her voice once again as the girl is tired of feeling so unsure. The brunette wants to know that she’s not the only one.

“I don’t know,” Emma answers softly. Because she truly doesn’t. “But, I think it means we’re suppose to be in each other’s life. I care about you a lot Regina, and I don’t really do that.”

“We barely even know each other,” Regina states, the obvious bothering her too much. She has always been cautious about people, even Emma. 

“So we’ll get to know each other.” 

“And you think that will solve everything?” 

“No, I just think it’s a start.” Emma reaches down to cover the brunette’s hand with her own. Regina stares at their conjoined hands for a moment before she lets out a long breath. Her face glances up into the green eyes that have transfixed her ever since she first saw them a month ago. The brunette smiles at her, the smile that melts Emma’s heart and says “I'm glad I ran you over.”

The blonde laughs widely, because she had not been expecting that. "I'm glad too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ???? :)))


	4. Sweet Dreams Are Made of Thee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: same as always  
> Warning: I curse, beware. I do not have a beta, so mistakes will happen. Feel free to point them out, I usually fix them.
> 
> There is also some RedBeauty in here. If you haven't figured it out from reading my other story, I love them together.
> 
> Happy Holidays Everyone!!! Whatever you celebrate I hope you have a great time. Thanks so much to all of you guys for reading. Keep up the commenting!

Emma walked into the diner looking for a much needed pick me up. David had been working her particularly hard that week because they were rebuilding a large part of the west pasture’s fence. It was probably an area the size of a football field. She was in desperate need of a decent meal that did not involve a microwave. Plus, her and Ruby usually had dinner together once a week. 

A dinner that consisted of Ruby ignoring her customers and gabbing to Emma while the blonde ate a giant cheeseburger. 

The door chimed as she pushed it open. Ruby stood behind the counter with a pot of coffee in one hand, and her phone in the other. She was starring down at it smiling as if her and the device were star crossed lovers. Something was up.

Belle? Ruby had kind of insinuated things between them weren’t working out the last time they talked. 

Emma sat down at one of the stools patiently waiting for her friend to come over. It took about 10 seconds longer than usual for Ruby to realize that Emma was sitting there. A look of embarrassment flushed across her face as she put her phone away. 

“Emma,” Red greeted, trying to act so normal, that it was a dead give away that everything was not. 

“Spill,” Emma bluntly said, knowing full well it was an act. 

Red gazed at her as if she could read minds. Then she composed herself to say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

She was in no mood to fool around. Plus Ruby had yet to deliver her coffee making her all the more grouchy. Not to mention that she was usually talking Emma’s ear off by now with the latest gossip, yet today she has nothing. Yeah, right.

“I am talking about whoever it is that you are so smitten with. You were ogling so hard at your phone I thought it was going to start doing a strip tease. I am in no mood for this today, now where is my coffee woman!” The last part she said as a joke, but it did come out a bit too much like an order. 

A wide smile spread across Ruby’s face. The kind you do when you first start dating someone, and absolutely everything is perfect. All you can do is think about how perfectly perfect everything is, so you walk around with this ridiculously goofy grin that lets everyone know how happy you are. Ruby was totally sporting that look today.

“Coffee,” Red offered, taking it as a chance to ignore the subject. She poured Emma a huge mug then placed creamer next to it for her. 

“Not going to work Ruby,” Emma said taking a sip relishing in the taste. Yep, this was just what she needed. 

“Fine. It’s just things are going really good right now. Like really good. Like different, but in a good way.” 

Emma just starred at the girl completely perplexed by her word fumbling. It’s not like Ruby was the smartest whip, but whoever her secret lover was they definitely were affecting the girl’s ability to speak properly. Maybe her and Belle finally got their act together. 

“Hey Ruby are things good between you two?” Emma mimicked, smiling devilishly as she put an extra emphasis on the word good. 

Red’s face went from lovesick puppy to pissed off wolf in about two seconds flat. She scowled at Emma. “I’m not good at this O.K.?” Ruby said with a bit of a bite behind her words. 

“Good at dating? Ruby you’re like the best dater our there I know,” Emma said shrugging her shoulders. It was true. Ruby dated like a champ. Sometimes the blonde liked to live vicariously through Ruby as she listened to all her sexual encounters. 

“No. Good at something more than just dating,” Ruby said getting a bit frustrated with herself. Emma was pointing something out that she was a bit insecure about. 

That got her interest though. “More? You mean like a relationship?” Emma asked feeling like an asshole for teasing. Had Red managed to find more than one of her super hot flings? 

Ruby averted her vision to the ground which she stared at as she said, “Yes.” It was a whisper almost too quite to actually be heard. 

Emma slid her hand across the counter to lie on top of Ruby’s. She squeezed hoping to reassure her. “Hey, there’s no need to be so hard on yourself. If you’ve found someone special enough to tie you down, then they must be one hell of a catch. And they are very lucky to have you. Now enough about this not good nonsense, I want to hear all about them. Most importantly, I want to know who is it?” Emma said looking at her with hopeful eyes. She was trying to be a good friend here. 

“Alright I’ll tell you. You have to promise not to say ANYTHING. We are not exactly exclusive yet. Just keep it to yourself. You’re going to be the first to know,” Ruby said feeling a bit of anxiety well up in her. She knew Emma was going to be acting all superior once she knew. 

“I am honored,” Emma said bowing a bit as she placed her hand to her chest, “My lips are sealed.” 

Ruby looked at Emma then back at the ground, then back up at Emma, then back down. The eye dance she was doing was driving Emma nuts. “Spit it out,” the blonde yelled. 

“Belle,” Ruby said the name softly, glancing around to make sure no one had heard. 

There are certain ways to handle these types of situations. With grace, love, acceptance. Emma knows all of this. Has experienced all of this. But, when she hears Ruby say Belle’s name it goes out the window. 

She spits the gulp of coffee she had just taken out all over the counter. Dramatic, yes. “ Finally!” Emma cheered, lifting her arms up in triumph. 

Everyone in the diner is now starring at them. Emma fakes a few coughs to indicate that she had been choking, than throws up her hand in an ‘I’m alright ignore me’ way. The restaurant goes back to its previous noise level as if she had not just made a fool out of herself. 

She turns her head back to look at Ruby feeling like a jackass. “I’m so sorry,” Emma begins, but stops when she sees that Red is laughing now. 

“Don’t be that was hilarious.” 

At least her friend could take a bone-headed reaction with stride. It didn’t even seem to phase her. 

“It’s just I’ve been waiting for you two to quit being dumb. I’m just happy that you both can be happy and stop all this not-interested bullshit,” Emma declared. 

It was true. Ruby/Red had struck her as a lot of things, but bi-curious was not one of them, but once she saw those two together there really wasn’t any doubt. 

“Hey! Sorry, it’s just that Belle’s the first girl I’ve ever been in to. That can hold a person back for a minute while they adjust,” Ruby said refilling Emma’s coffee and wiping the remnants of her first cup off the counter. 

“Cheers to your first woman then,” Emma said raising her glass and chugging half of it. She had to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to admit to Ruby. After being the worse friend in history, it was only fair that Emma come clean. That’s what friends did, right? She was still trying to figure this whole thing out herself. Her relationship with Ruby was a lot less complicated than with Regina, but still having people around was new. 

“And that means what exactly?” Ruby asked with suspicion plastered on her face. 

“It means welcome to the world of dating men and women,” Emma said holding up her cup in a nervous salutatory gesture. She was hoping that her own emission wouldn’t bring too much judgment her way. 

Ruby’s mouthed dropped open. “No way. You’re joking.” 

Emma just shook her head. “Nope. I’ve never exactly dated a woman, or a guy, like relationship date. But I have slept with both, and I find both equally attractive. Guess you could say I’m into people.” It was a note she had pondered in her head many times when questioning her own sexuality. Eventually she just gave up on it. It wasn’t like it had to define her. Emma liked people sexually, short and simple. 

“Well, well, looks like somebody’s been getting busy on her own time. Never thought you’d be the type.”

Emma shrugged her shoulders, and finished the rest of her coffee. She stared at the empty cup for a minute wondering if she could make some more magically appear. But at this rate she’d be up all night. 

“Yeah well you learn something new everyday. Please don’t go spreading it around town. Last thing I need is Tink or David getting wind. So not ready for that conversation.”

“You’re secret is safe with me. No matter just how juicy it may be.” 

“Thanks. Oh and Red I am happy for you. Don’t let anyone wipe that smile off your face. You do you. Have some fun. And I am sure you’re plenty good at it,” Emma said with a wink and a smile. She knew the brunette would appreciate a little double entendre. Along with the sincerity of her words. 

The kitchen bell dinged, and Red rushed off to bring Emma her burger. She stayed with the waitress through most of her shift and they talked about Belle some more. When Emma decided it was time to head out, Ruby stopped her at the door. 

“Thanks Emma,” she whispered in the girl’s ear as she pulled her into a hug. Emma was a little thrown by the affection, but she returned the embrace gently. 

As Emma Swan walked out of the diner and to her newly gifted motorcycle she couldn’t deny that having friends was starting to change her mind about people a little. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“You have a new assignment,” Ms. Collins announced to the class, holding up a stack of papers like a trophy. The room unanimously groaned together. What the fuck did they expect when they signed up for a college writing course in high school, the morons.

“I know, I’m a cruel woman. But I think you’re going to like this one, or hate my guts even more,” the teacher joked, and a mumbling of giggles dispersed through the classroom. 

“Who am I?,” Collins read the title of the paper aloud as she handed out the assignment guidelines. “You are going to write me a paper where you answer this question. Minimum three pages. I should not have to even say this, but I will: spelling and grammar will count toward your grade. So proofread! Seriously, I will fail you if you don’t know the difference between ‘then’ and ‘than’.” 

A hand shot up in the back. 

“Yes Mr. Gold you must turn in a paper. No, you may not turn in nothing and then claim ‘that is who you are’.” The class roared in laughter and Neal sheepishly put his hand down. Collins was good. 

“Any questions?” 

Vacant stares directed out the window of students praying that no one would say anything else was her answer. “Alright you are going to break up into pairs and brainstorm. The partners you get today are going to be your peer editors for this paper so I hope you like them. Let’s count to ten.” 

Each student counted off in their row until they hit ten and then they started over again. Twenty students total meant ten pairs of two, and they matched up with their number twin. 

Fate was cruel to Regina today because her partner was none other than-

“Hey,” Emma greeted as she sat down across from Regina breaking her concentration with that dopey grin. This was new territory for the queen bee of the school. Emma and her were real friends, and that was only possible because she completely ignored the girl at school. This was going to be tricky as the girls had yet to cross the subject. 

“Hello Ms. Swan, how are you?” Regina asked, trying to sound uninterested. 

“Sore from all the heavy lifting David had me doing this morning, but otherwise fine,” was the nonchalant reply she got. “Honestly the lessons hurt more than the farm work.” Regina smirked at that. Not many were privy to how strenuous riding a horse could be. 

Neal was making googly eyes at the back of Emma’s head that had Regina rolling her own eyes. What an idiot. The brunette silently mimed for him to knock it off, which had the blonde staring at her funny. Emma glanced back to see Neal trying to pretend he was actually working. 

“That guy,” Emma sighed as she shook her head. 

“You know him?” Regina asked way too fast to act like she didn’t care, but that didn’t stop her from trying anyway.

“Something like that. Why? You jealous?” the blonde teased. Regina nearly blushed at the words, because yes for some weird reason she was. Of what was something else entirely that she would address later. 

“Don’t be absurd,” was her sharp reply that ceased the playfulness in Emma’s demeanor. The blonde cleared her throat in discomfort as she sat upright. 

“He use to follow me down the road to work. I’ve told him to move it along about a hundred times, but he doesn’t seem to get the concept,” Emma announced letting out a heavy sigh of annoyance. 

“Maybe if you hadn’t insist on walking down that forsaken road every day you wouldn’t keep having these types of problems.” 

“I got a motorcycle, remember? It’s not going to be a problem anymore. Unless you decide to run me over on that and break my bike.” Emma shot her a challenging glare, and Regina wanted to kiss it off her face. They stared at one another for a minute, neither willing to back down. Neal was staring at them suspiciously, because clearly they were flirting, and that had Regina snapping out of the playful trance Emma usually put her in. 

“Right, so this paper,” Regina stated, changing the subject quickly. “Rather self-explanatory.” 

“Really? I think it’s kind of hard.” 

“How so?”

Emma let out a bark of laughter at the response, but when the brunette didn’t join in with her the blonde stopped and gave Regina a confused look. “You mean to tell me at 18 you know who you are?” 

“Yes.” The brunette barely thought about her answer. Without warning, or permission, the blonde stole the legal pad that had Regina’s notes for the essay on it from under her. Regina let out a sound of protest, but the blonde ignored her. 

Emma’s vision scanned over the scribbles reading to herself. “You are a Mills, class president, and will be the future Governor of Maine?” Emma rambled back some of the points with a quizzical look. 

“What’s wrong with that?” 

“Regina, that’s not who you are. This is just titles and aspirations, it has nothing to do with you as a person.” 

“Well what would you like me to put? That I am an over-stressed, over-worked, heiress who spends her free times doing frivolous things like riding horses?” 

“At least that’s real.” 

The statement struck Regina hard. Those green eyes were boring into her own searching for an answer to the question that the brunette thought she had already figured out long ago. Perhaps she hadn’t. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Ruby had managed to get off early without having to beg her Granny which was always a bonus. They were slow, so she got to go. 

Of course she thought it would be the best time to surprise Belle. She was working at the library again after school. Sometimes Ruby would sneak in there and pretend to read back before she knew who Belle even was just to see the girl. Now she wasn’t discrete since Red’s crush was pretty obvious. Ruby just loved the way she moved there. Belle was in love with books, and it radiated through her as she practically frolicked throughout the library.

That’s how she first saw Belle. Ruby had gone to the library to get some books for a report she was doing, and Belle checked her out. After that the waitress was pretty much a goner. Lets just say that Red became a binge-reader over night. 

Belle was standing next to a cart shoving some books into place on the shelf. As Ruby came up from behind her she wondered how such a beautiful creature could exist in her world. Even though it had taken her long enough to realize her true feelings for Belle, she always knew how incredibly breath-taking the girl was inside and out. 

O.K. now Red was getting ridiculously cheesy for her own taste. The things this woman was doing to her. 

Ruby crept up behind her covering Belle’s eyes with her hands. “Guess who,” Ruby whispered into her ear. Belle jumped at the sneak attack, but giggled as she realized it was Red. She fell back into the woman’s embrace as Ruby wrapped two arms around her waist and pulled her closer. 

“Thought you were working late,” Belle muffled as Ruby kissed her before she could get the whole sentence out. Whenever she did that Belle could feel herself go weak in the knees. Simply because she could not believe it was actually happening. It was such a different feeling than it had been with…him. This kind, warm, earnest, easy sort of affection. It felt good. That was something Belle had not felt in a long time. 

“Couldn’t stand another minute without you,” Ruby said flashing her a brilliantly white smile and wink. The girl had sex appeal, Belle would give her that. It was not how she liked to think of Ruby. Her feelings for the woman had stemmed out of their friendship not her looks. But, she could not deny that Ruby was hot, like sitting on the sun in July hot. Her beauty coupled with her smooth moves and charm were a force to be reckoned with. Belle had been failing miserably at fighting them off when she just decided to hell with it. 

“Funny I never took you for the romantic type,” Belle said teasing as she broke free from Ruby’s arms to pretend to get back to her work. Books could wait, but the ridiculously cute look that Red gave her when Belle pretended like they couldn’t was worth acting otherwise. It somewhere between a pout and a whine. 

“You bring it out in me,” Ruby said leaning back against the shelf watching as Belle stacked the shelves. “Speaking of which I have something for you.” 

Belle turned to look at her inquisitive. “What?”. 

“Close your eyes.” 

Belle gave her a leer, which Ruby ignored. She had been planning this for awhile. Since, they first started talking nearly two weeks ago now. For her that was a pretty big deal. She never thought things through before, but it was different with Belle. 

“Fine,” Belle said impatiently closing her eyes. 

Ruby reached into her satchel taking out the package. She placed it in Belle’s hands. “Alright, open them.” 

Belle opened her eyes to see the brown square that was shaped much like a book. She quirked an eyebrow wondering if Ruby would chose something that anybody would for her. Everyone knew she loved books. Belle reminded herself that it’s the thought that counts. 

“Open it,” Ruby said with excitement. 

Belle untied the white twine, then ripped of the brown paper. It appeared to be just that: a book. But, there was something different about it. It was a dark-red, leather bound with a band tied around it a few times to hold it shut. There was no title on the cover. Curious Belle opened the book only to find that the pages were blank.

“It’s a journal,” Red explained after seeing the perplexed look on the fair-haired girl. “You see I started thinking about things you love, and well the obvious answer to that question is books,” Ruby noted, gesturing around them which made them both giggle a bit. 

“So I wanted to do something more personal with one. See, forever now I have been trying to find a way to ask you an important question.” The words scared Belle at where this could be going. Not this soon? It couldn’t be. She swallowed down her fear to listen. 

“And I realized that we are creating our own story together now just like all of your books. So I wanted us to write our own book. It’s blank, so that we can write to one another. Write down our story as it goes along, before we met, what the future may hold, whatever. I figure we can exchange it back and forth whenever we see fit. I already wrote something in there for you.” 

Ruby looked down at the book indicating for Belle to open it. She flipped to the first page to see words scrawled in some impressively elegant handwriting: 

_Belle, will you be my girlfriend?_

“I was hoping you could write me an answer,” Ruby said reaching down in her sack to grab a pen. When she turned back to hand Belle the writing utensil she saw tears slowly trailing down from her eyes.

“Honey,” Ruby said immediately seizing the woman in her arms placing a hand on each side of Belle’s face. “No, no don’t cry. I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to upset you, ” she said as she wiped the tears away from Belle’s cheeks with her thumbs. 

“Look you don’t even have to answer. I’m sorry if I moved too fast. You just make me incredibly happy. I just wanted to show you how serious I am about this, about you, because I never have been before. You’re different to me Belle. But it was stupid please don’t cry baby,” Ruby pleaded.

She was such an idiot sometimes. The girl’s heart had just been ripped out and here she was a few months later thinking a few stolen kisses could heal it all. It was official, Ruby was the world’s biggest jackass. 

Belle suddenly looked up at her with anger, “It was not stupid,” Belle scolded, her nostrils flaring. 

“It was the single most thoughtful, considerate, wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me, and I will not let you call it stupid,” she said as she grabbed the pen from Ruby. 

Ruby looked back at her shocked as Belle went from a sobbing mess to a fiery librarian. She bit the cap off the pen spitting it out as she wrote something out under Ruby’s words. 

Belle then promptly closed it with thunderous clap. She reached her hand out, grabbed Ruby by the front of her shirt, and yanked her into a deep kiss that took Red by utter surprise. Ruby’s head was spinning when Belle jammed the journal into her stomach as she turned on her heels and marched off. 

“What the hell?” Ruby spoke to no one, as she watched Belle retreat into the miles of bookcases. Seriously though? What had just happened? She thought she was being sweet. Then she thought she fucked up. Now had she accomplished both? 

It took her a minute before she realized she was still clutching the journal to her gut awkwardly posed after being ambushed by Belle’s lips without warning. Flipping open the book to the first page Ruby saw her message scribbled out directly under hers:

_Yes, you idiot._

Ruby couldn’t help but smile like a complete fool now. She said yes. She was actually dating Belle. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maine was quiet. 

Emma was use to Boston where a damn car horn or siren was going off every other second. Storybrooke was peaceful in comparison. Being a native city girl she had no idea what that term even meant, but she suspected this was it. At night the only sounds she heard were the occasional whipping of the wind against the garage and crickets chirping. The silence was almost deafening to her. 

That was until someone started banging on her door at one in the morning. 

“Who the fuck?” Emma mumbled, praying it wasn’t her foster parents in a drunken rage. She did not want to have to hurt Killian’s parents. That would be bad. 

Stumbling out of bed Emma searched around for pants. Whoever the fuck was at her door started to hit harder as they grew more impatient, so she decided they would get a nice view of her ass if it meant that the noise would stop.

“Calm the fuck down,” Emma called as she unlatched the door and swung it open. 

Regina Mills stood before her. The brunette’s hair was sticking up everywhere, her nostrils were flared, and her brown eyes were focused intently on the blonde. Somebody was pissed the fuck off. 

“Regina? It’s the middle of the night what are you doing here?” Emma asked baffled, as her eyes fought to stay open. The cold air blew from behind the brunette against her bare legs, and that was enough to keep her conscious. 

“What is this suppose to be?” the brunette demanded holding up what looked to be Emma’s English paper. They had exchanged them earlier to take home and peer review before class tomorrow. 

“If you woke me up to discuss homework I may just smack you,” Emma deadpanned. She knew Regina was serious about her grades, but seriously this was ridiculous. 

“This is serious.” 

“You’re insane. Get in here before I freeze me ass off,” Emma demanded. 

She pulled the pissed off crazy woman into her room and slammed the door. It was then that the brunette realized that the blonde was wearing underwear and a tank-top. Brown eyes dropped to take in the half-dressed Emma Swan. Her throat tightened as the anger that brought her over seemed to dissipate at the sight of a flawless pair of legs and a seriously nice ass. What does she do?

“I understand that this assignment has been ruff for you, but you did not have to come over here in the middle of the night to yell at me and make yourself feel better,” Emma huffed as she pulled on a pair of jeans she found on the floor, leaving them unbuttoned Regina noted. She could still see Emma’s gray panties peaking through. 

Emma’s voice snapped her out of her daydream stoking the fire that was burning inside of her before she drove over here. “You made me feel like I didn’t know myself, like I had no concept of who I was. I should have never listened to you when this is what you wrote!” 

“Regina I never said that you didn’t know who you were. I said you weren’t showing that in the paper!” Emma screamed back before she reminded herself to calm down. “I’m sorry you are having an identity crisis in the middle of the night, and I’ll be happy to help with that at seven in the morning when I have to be at your house to work!” 

“I’m not having an identity crisis! Stop making me believe that! I know who I am, I always have, until you showed up and started messing with my head. Just leave me the hell alone,” Regina growled throwing the mess of Emma’s paper up into the air as she stalked to the door. 

“Yeah, that’s why you barged in here because you wanted me to leave you alone,” Emma bit out. That stopped the heiress dead in her tracks. 

“Don’t assume that I came over here out of some desperation to see you, I can assure you that-“

“I’m an orphan,” Emma confessed, wondering what the hell possessed her to let the brunette in on that secret. 

Regina’s mouth still hung open from when she had been interrupted mid-rant. Which was the reaction the blonde had been hoping for. She gently closed it, shaking off the sense of guilt that washed over in that instant. Green eyes locked onto hers as Emma turned around to face her. 

“I’m an orphan. My parents left me on the side of the road when I was born. I’ve bounced around foster families and grouphomes my whole life. It hasn’t been pretty. I bullshitted that paper so the whole class wouldn’t find out about it. Not to spite you Regina.” There now it was out. 

Hearing her name come out of the blonde’s mouth felt like a knife to her heart. She could sense it. Emma had…had entrusted some part of her with Regina. It was unspoken, but it was this trust she gave only her since they met. The brunette never asked her questions, never demanded anything of her. They understood each other. Words didn’t need to be spoken between them, and now she had just fucked that up entirely. What could she possible say to make this better?

“Emma I didn’t know.” 

“Save it,” the blonde snapped as she pulled on her boots that were sitting by the bed. 

“I just got so upset. I thought you were making a fool of me,” Regina admitted as she watched the girl prepare to run away wondering how to stop her.

“Yeah, because I would do that. I had hoped you figured me not to be that kind of person.” 

The blonde grabbed her jacket and bolted for the door. Regina reached out to stop her, but Emma jerked away from the touch as if it burned. “Deal with your shit Regina. Don’t be pissed at me because I made you aware of it.” 

With that the blonde thundered down the wooden death trap stairs that led to the garage. There was the sound of a motorcycle being started, there was a roar of the engine coming to life, and the sound of the bike driving away.

It took Regina a solid hour of sitting in her car with the heat blaring outside of Emma’s before she actually started to look for her. By 3 AM she had searched every park, road, and even called Killian to see if he had heard from her. There was no sign of the blonde.

When the faint pink swirls started to illuminate the skies Regina headed back to the mansion giving up on her search. Thoroughly exhausted the brunette stepped out of her Mercedes and into the open spaces that greeted her. Regina let her body fall back against the car as she gazed out over her home. Early mornings on the ranch were responsible for some of the most beautiful moments in her life. 

As Regina looked out across the fields the brunette spotted the old stable shack to the west that was deserted now. Her father had been meaning to get someone to burn it down, but for now the old barn lay empty. 

On a hunch, the brunette decided to check it out. If anything she was just going to enjoy a morning stroll, seeing as there was no point in getting any sleep now.

When she got closer she saw that the blonde was sitting on the roof of the shed, straddling the peak watching the sunrise. Regina climbed up the ladder that was built into the side of the building thanking the heavens she did not have heels on for once. 

She sat next to the blonde, making sure to keep her distance. Emma and Regina stayed like that in silence as the sun crept up into the sky. When the pink was replaced by a warm orange that flooded the fields the blonde finally looked at her. 

Regina had been wrestling with what to say the since she started her search for the blonde hours ago. Every scenario would end up in the same way…

“Emma, I’m sorry.” 

The blonde’s eyes blew wide. “That couldn’t have been easy for you,” she chuckled. Regina couldn’t help but to laugh herself. No, it wasn’t. 

“Sometimes my emotions get the better of me, and I just go overboard. I shouldn’t’ have barged in like that. ” 

“It’s cool,” the blonde shrugged. 

“No, it’s not.” 

Emma bit her lip as she pensively stared at the brunette. “You feel more in one day than what I ever have in my entire life. I just think you’re not sure how to handle all of those feelings yet. Don’t be sorry for that.” 

Regina was struck speechless yet again by Emma. How did this girl manage to say such profound things about her life like that? Like it was obvious? Emma understood a part of her that she herself wasn’t even familiar with. Or maybe they were the parts she didn’t want to deal with because Regina was afraid of them. 

“How do you do that?” 

“Do what?” Emma asked, narrowing her brow in an adorable, clueless fashion. 

“Know me.” 

The blonde broke into a smile that took over her entire face, and Regina thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. “You worry too much you know that? Sometimes life is what it is. Don’t question every good thing that happens.” 

Regina shook her head at the blonde, who giggled at her. 

“Emma I’m serious,” the brunette desperately implored. 

“I pay attention to you more than I’d care to admit right now.” 

“Why?” Regina actually voiced. She meant to keep that in her head, because she had an inclination as to what the answer was, and they both were not ready for that this morning. 

Emma bowed her head like she was contemplating what to say. Then she took a deep breath and stood up. “Come on,” she commanded as she stuck out her hand to help the girl up. Regina took it, letting the stupid question that had left her lips fall away as she was lifted off the roof. 

“Where are we going?” Regina finally asked once they were about half-way up the trail that led back to the main house. 

“To get breakfast,” the blonde responded as if it was the obvious answer. She turned to flash a pleased grin at the brunette who hated that it made her stomach flip flop in ways that should be medically impossible. 

When Emma handed the brunette the helmet that was sitting on the back of her motorcycle she nearly laughed in her face. “You can’t be serious,” Regina spoke, as Emma mounted the machine. 

“Put the helmet on or you don’t get pancakes,” Emma chided as if she was bargaining with a toddler. 

“I don’t like pancakes,” the brunette fired back. 

“Regina put the helmet on and get on the bike,” the blonde firmly stated. 

“What makes you think you can tell me what to do?” the brunette sassed. 

Emma ignored her as she turned the ignition on and kick-started the bike. She revved the throttle a few times drowning out the sounds of the annoying creature that somehow fascinated her for a reason that was currently escaping her. 

“Get on the bike.” It was the last time she was going to say it. 

Regina sighed, but put the contraption on her head and secured the latch around her chin. She lifted a leg up over the bike, and used Emma to balance herself on the back of the seat. 

“Hold on,” the blonde commanded, pulling the brunette’s arms securely around her center. Emma had never been more thankful to Killian in that moment when she felt Regina pressed against her firmly. Now she totally understood why bikes were chick magnets. 

There were few things in life that equated to the feeling of riding a motorcycle down an open road. It was a bonus that the sky was lit up like something out of a National Geographic as they road into town. Emma could get use to living in the country if it meant morning rides with a beautiful brunette. 

Granny’s was just opening when they pulled up. A few of the fisherman were staggering in to grab breakfast before they went out for the morning catch. Emma’s own shift would be starting in an hours, so she could relate. 

“You liked it,” Emma declared with a smile when the brunette lifted the giant helmet off her head to reveal a pleased little grin. 

“I did not!” Regina defended, wiping the smile off her face as she handed the helmet over to the blonde. 

“Totally did,” Emma argued back, as they made their way up the walk. 

“Did not,” Regina replied as she stepped through the door that the blonde held open for her. _She has better manners than Graham._

“Do you always have to get the last word?” Emma asked, already knowing the answer. The blonde waved at Ruby who was standing behind the counter gaping at them. 

“Ouch!” a man yelled, once his coffee over ran into his lap because the waitress was too busy staring at them. Emma chuckled, and Regina grinned devilishly as they chose a booth in the back. 

“You ever gonna tell me what’s up with that?” the blonde wondered, nudging toward the girl who was dressed like she was working at hooters instead of her grandmother’s diner. Regina obviously had some type of aggression toward her friend, and Emma was curious as to what fight she had walked in on with them when she came to town. 

“Does it matter?” Regina evaded, as she pretended to read over the menu that she had memorized by 2nd grade. It hadn’t changed since. 

“If I said yes would you answer me honestly?” Green eyes met brown and held them. Regina really hated that Emma could do that to her, and that she knew it. A cocky grin came over the blonde’s face as the silence answered her question. _Totally would._

“What can I get you this fine, extremely early morning?” Ruby greeted as she saddled up to their table. The waitress was gleaming with absolute curiosity at them having breakfast together. Emma knew she would be getting interrogated later about this. 

“Hot chocolate with cinnamon and a giant coffee with enough cream and sugar to give me diabetes,” Emma requested with a grin. Ruby snorted at that one as she went to get their drinks. 

“You just ordered for me,” Regina noted, equally annoyed and amused. 

“Yes,” Emma answered playfully. 

“How did you know what I was going to get?” The blonde had been spot on and it was honestly starting to creep her out. Graham and her had been dating for nearly four years and he could hardly name her favorite color, let alone drink. 

“I told you I pay attention.” A knowing smile played on Emma’s lips that made Regina blush. She frantically tried to act untouched by the intimate admittance when Red came back with their order. 

“What’s with the caffeine hit? You a junkie or something?” Red pried. She was the town gossip in training, as it ran in the family, so Emma was use to the waitress’ questions. 

“Work after an all-nighter. You can sympathize I’m sure.” 

“Boy can I,” the girl let out with an eye-roll. 

“I use to waitress. It totally sucked. I use to put salt in people’s drinks if they were dicks. Just enough that it tasted funny, but not enough for them to be able to tell anything was actually off,” Emma recanted. She had done some other questionable things to get back at rude customers, but that was her signature move. 

“That’s brilliant,” Ruby commended as her face lit up. “I’m going to use that.” 

“Feel free.” 

“I’m never eating out again,” the brunette grumbled. 

“What can I get you Regina?” Ruby asked, politely for once. 

There was no venom in her voice either when she asked for a egg-white omelet. Emma had rolled her eyes and ordered the fishermen’s special which included enough food for a small army. 

“What? I do manual labor for a living,” the blonde had said when the brunette shot her a glare from across the table. “It’s not my fault you eat like your forty at eighteen.” 

“You know I can get you the day off,” Regina offered when Emma started drinking her wake-up call. 

“Saving up my favors for when I need you to bail me out of jail,” the blonde teased. “Besides, I don’t need your Father thinking I am friends with her daughter so that I can get special treatment.” 

It was endearing to actually hear Emma say that they were friends. And that she wasn’t hanging out with her because of her connections. 

“You’re going to pass out,” Regina reasoned. 

“Nah, this isn’t the first time I’ve managed a full day of work on no sleep.” 

“Have you always worked?” Regina implored, curious from her earlier comments about being a waitress. 

“Since I was about fourteen. Mostly off the books, but I always had to find a way to scrape by.” 

“Don’t…aren’t there people who take care of that sort of thing?” 

Emma was mid-sip when the brunette let that one out and she nearly spit her coffee out. Instead it went up her nose, and burned like a son of a bitch. 

“Uh, there are. But they never really did that. In my case, anyway.” 

Regina could sense that the blonde was beginning to get uncomfortable so she decided that her questions could wait for another time. She was actually enjoying this whole easy, sleepless breakfast.

“Alright, I want a Regina story,” Emma demanded with a smile. 

The Latina raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow,” Excuse me?” 

“You got one of mine last night, and now I want one of yours. Give and take, it’s only fair,” the blonde reasoned, wagging her eyebrows in a ridiculous manner that had the brunette giggling. 

“I don’t have any.” 

“Yeah, because you’ve done absolutely nothing up to this point in your life.” The sarcasm was practically dripping from her words that time. 

It took her a minute of deep searching in the archives of her mind before she thought of a suitable one. “I once punched Mary Margaret in the face for calling me a limp noodle in first grade.” 

Emma fought it. She really did. But eventually she was laughing so hard that she was slipping out of her seat. Regina did not look amused. 

“It was a serious insult!” Regina defended as tears started running down the blonde’s cheeks. 

“That’s from Mulan!” 

“What?” Regina asked clueless. 

Emma got serious fast as she sat up, “you’ve never seen the movie Mulan?” 

_Maybe that’s why the girl kept saying it was a joke, Regina mulled._ “No.” 

“Seriously? What did you do as a child?” 

“Made people cry,” Ruby answered for her as she set their plates down. Regina shot her a fixed glare, and Emma bit back a laugh. 

“You have way too many enemies. I do not understand,” Emma stated when the waitress was out of earshot. 

“Yes, well, I have a tendency to piss people off. Maybe you should stay clear.” 

“Not a chance.” Emma’s tone turned serious as she reached out for the brunette’s hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze as she let her thumb stroke the side of it. “You’re not getting rid of me any time soon,” Emma firmly declared as she removed her hand so they could eat. 

Breakfast was eaten over laughs and smiles as they enjoyed their morning. Emma paid for the meal, even with Regina’s protests. She also slipped Ruby a ten for putting up with them, and just being cool. The waitress flashed her a wink on their way out. 

It was a relatively short trip back to the estate, at least in Emma’s mind. Time seemed to move faster when she was with Regina. Maybe because she was enjoying it too much. 

“Go get some sleep,” the blonde ordered as she walked the brunette to the front door of the giant mansion she had yet to step foot in. She was an employee, and would probably never see the inside of the girl’s house. 

“Last chance to get the day off,” Regina mocked as she walked up the steps of her front porch. Never before had that seemed so far from the ground until it separated her from Emma. 

“Nope. If you’ll excuse me I’m going to go lug hay around for ten hours,” the blonde cheered as she tried to put distance between herself and the gorgeous girl before she did something stupid. 

“I’ll come find you whenever I wake up,” the brunette informed as she reached her door. Every fiber of her being was telling her not to go inside the house, but the last shred of her dignity was screaming to. 

“Something to look forward to then,” Emma called from around the corner with a wink that had Regina’s knees buckling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any questions? Also, let me know if you have a particular scene/interaction that you may want to see. I can't promise you anything, because I do have a plot line in this, but I love the ideas!


	5. A White Knight to the Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing . Please do not sue me. 
> 
> Warning: Violence. There is a fight described, blood too. But honestly, it's nothing gory or scary. Most of this chapter is fluff until the end. If it bothers you, you've been warned. Also there are faint mentioning of abuse, for those of you it may trigger. 
> 
> Thank all of you lovely people for the support. I've had a bit of writer's block, but now I'm over it. Should be updating this frequently. Not sure how many chapters, but it will be long. Thank you for all the feedback you amazing people you. I love it, you're all wonderful.

“Regina if you don’t relax we’re not going to do this,” Emma warns as she fiddles with getting her jacket off. 

“No, no I want to do this,” the brunette frantically reassures, and Emma narrows her eyes at her in question. Regina lets out a huff that makes her bangs flitter in the air, and Emma has never seen anything cuter in all her life. For someone who can be a real bitch, the brunette is awfully adorable at times. 

“Okay, but you tell me if you want to stop,” Emma demands as she adjusts herself behind the brunette. “I mean it.” 

“If I can ride a horse I can do this,” she says with all of her hoity-toity upbringing showing full force. Regina has thoroughly been convinced by her parents that she can do anything because she was born “A Mills.” Emma knows she can because she’s Regina. 

“Two totally different things darling,” Emma teases, and Regina gets all ticked off like she often does when someone mocks her. “Don’t patronize me!” 

“Lets just get started.” 

“I’m ready,” Regina husks, as she takes a deep breath and prepares herself. Emma leans in closer, and Regina inhales her scent. Something she’s become all too familiar with recently. The blonde radiates a mixture of vanilla and grass from the farm, and Regina finds it intoxicating. 

“So this is your clutch, and this is the break. Do not get those mixed up,” Emma reminds. “I know, we’ve gone over this a thousand times. I’m not invalid Emma,” Regina retorts glaring back at the blonde. 

Emma is perched behind the brunette on her bike. Regina had taught her how to ride a horse, so in exchange the blonde had agreed to teach her how to ride a motorcycle. After the first ride they went on together Regina was hooked. That’s how they got to this point. Emma sitting behind Regina on her own bike, situated on an old dirt road in the woods, making sure the brunette isn’t about to kill them both. 

“Fine. Lets see what you got,” Emma declares, slipping off the back of the bike so the brunette can balance herself. The blonde finds that she misses the closeness, but she pushes through it. They’ve been becoming really good friends, and she’s learning to avert her crush on Regina. 

Emma leans over, gripping the clutch and kick-starting the bike. Regina glares at her, as if she’s betrayed her by starting it for her, but Emma merely rolls her eyes. Henry the boss man had been right about his daughter, she’s a lot of bark and not much bite. Or maybe the blonde just isn’t afraid of her. Not many people know how hard it is to learn to start a bike up, and there’s no way Regina could get it on her first try. Death glares or not. 

The brunette revs the throttle, and jumps a little when the engine roars beneath her. _Great sign_ , Emma tells herself, but Regina’s vision is darting between the throttle and the gear shift as if they have magical powers. 

“Remember, when you put it in gear let the clutch out easy, and steadily give it gas. If you pull the throttle back the whole way and pop the clutch you’ll do a wheelie,” Emma shouts over the noise, and there’s a bed of exhaust clouding her vision as Regina nods. Her face is much more serious, and Emma can sense the girl’s budding anxiety. 

That’s why the blonde leans down to Regina’s ear and whispers, “I’ll be here the whole time.” Brown eyes look up at her, and Emma smiles. Regina loves and hates that smile because of what it can do to her. But it’s comforting, and hard to resist at this point. 

“Now put it in gear,” Emma instructs, and Regina uses her left foot to push the gear shifter down. As first gear is a click down, and everything else is a click up. “Let the clutch out gently and apply a little gas, give it more as you go.” Regina releases the clutch all the way and the engine dies out. 

Her reaction resembles a kid getting socks on Christmas morning. Emma can’t help but laugh at the brunette’s disappointment. “Your bike is broken,” Regina proclaims with a flick of her wrist. “No, you flooded it.” 

“I did nothing of the sort,” Regina defends not sure what that even means. But, whatever it is she didn’t do it. Emma starts the bike again as Regina revs the engine like an overzealous fool. Emma can tell that the brunette is going to have to learn about wheelies the hard way. So when the girl puts the bike in gear and lets the clutch out Emma is not surprised to see the front wheel shoot into the air. Regina falls off the bike, and thankfully it lands next to her, not on top. The blonde is snickering as she goes to help the brunette up. Regina refuses her help, clearly pissed off by her friend’s innocent snickering.

“We’re going to try something else,” Emma announces, as she picks the bike up. The blonde mounts it, and starts the contraption. Then she leans back, patting the front of the seat. Regina gets the message, as she gets on the bike with her. Their original position recreated. 

“Now, I want you to put your hands over mine.” Regina isn’t sure if she’s trying to hit on her, or what, but she obliges. The brunette lets her hands slip over Emma’s which are residing on the clutch and the gas. The blonde scoots forward more so that her foot can rest on the pegs. 

Regina suddenly forgets what they’re doing. Emma has never been this close to her, or touched her like this. Her heart is beating madly in her chest, and she’s pretty sure she’s forgotten how to breathe. Emma Swan has a way of unraveling the brunette, and it is extremely distracting on a daily basis. What’s more annoying is that Emma appears complacent as she focuses on her dumb motorcycle. “Just feel my hands as we go,” Emma says and Regina remembers that she’s suppose to be learning this, not enjoying the way it feels to have Emma’s arms around her. 

Regina realizes what Emma was trying to tell her about finding a balance when you’re getting into first gear as soon as they are moving. She can feel every movement of the blonde’s body as they shift into second. Emma’s got seriously strong arms, and fuck does it feel just right to be like this. Regina lets herself lean back into the blonde as she steers them along the old. A smile creeps over her face as the feeling of absolute exhilaration sets in.

Regina can’t help but to want every moment of her life to be this carefree. To be this happy all the time. 

“Take over,” Emma shouts as they round one of the turns. Regina is snapped quickly out of the fuzziness of her daydreaming as Emma’s hand slides off the gas, and Regina’s is left to man it. The blonde keeps her other one on the clutch and shifts them into third. Regina actually manages to keep them steady for a few feet. Then Emma links their fingers as she secures Regina’s other hand to the clutch before she lets go. Emma’s still in control of the actual foot shifter. “You’ve got it,” Emma cheers as they roll through the straightaway perfectly. Regina is now so focused on the road she’s forgotten about the blonde girl behind her because it’s incredible. 

She’s actually driving a motorcycle.

Regina lets them coast around the next curve, feeling Emma’s feet slip away so she can shift down into second. It’s just something the brunette senses as she comes out of the turn, and shifts back into third. It’s exhilarating and calming all at the same time as the wind whips through her hair. The feeling is similar to riding a horse, but different in its own way. The brunette feels young, and reckless, and utterly alive as she speeds along. 

But then Emma sees a car coming down the road. She grabs the handle bars, taking over as the red Camaro darts by them before coming to a dead stop in the road. The blonde knows that car, because it’s Red, but she also notes that Mary Margaret is in the front seat with her. 

“Hold on,” Emma says to Regina as she turns them around. Red is waiting for her, as she rides up to them. The waitress is leaning against her car door like a pin-up doll when they pull up. 

“What the hell are you doing out here?” Red calls, as Emma leaves Regina on the bike to go see her friend. “Don’t worry about what I’m doing,” Emma yells back playfully as Red runs at her. The other brunette jumps up in the air so that the blonde catches her and spins her friend around in a hug. Once upon a time Emma would have ran in the opposite direction from the gesture, but Red is overly affectionate and she finds that she doesn’t mind. 

“Hey Regina,” Ruby shoots over to the brunette who is staring daggers at her as she sits on the bike. “M&M,” Emma greets as the pixie-haired girl gets out of the car. “We’re heading to Belle’s for some junk-food and a Harry Potter marathon. Want to come?” 

Emma would normally love to. But, she would rather spend time with Regina than her friends. Which is ridiculous, but true. Mary Margaret is glancing between Emma and Regina like she’s trying to solve a mystery, and the blonde just shakes her head. “Nah, we’ve got plans,” she says gesturing back to Regina. 

Red narrows her brows at the girl, telling Emma silently that they’ll be talking later. “Don’t be a stranger,” Red says, and Emma knows it’s a warning. Then she grabs the blonde by the chin, tilts her head to the side, and places a kiss smack dab on the blonde’s cheek. “Yeah, yeah, got it Mom,” Emma says with some sass for her. 

Mary Margaret gives her a low five as she walks back over to her side. Then the red car is gone almost as fast as it appeared, and Emma saddles back up to a brooding brunette. 

“You know I am allowed to have other friends,” she says to Regina trying to be cute only to note that it doesn’t work. “I didn’t even say anything,” Regina snaps. 

“Your eyes tell me everything I need to know.” Emma meant it as a joke, but when it comes to them it’s not. They really do communicate through their gazes, and Regina is sending her a clear message right now. Because she looks away, crossing her arms pissed at herself for getting so stupidly jealous over nothing. 

“Who you spend your time with is not of my concern. If you wish you can take me back so you can join them.” While there is a lot of anger behind those words, Emma is aware that it’s Regina’s way of expressing her pain. 

“Regina, there’s no one else I’d rather spend time with than you. I promise.” Emma is staring intently at her so that Regina understands that she’s serious. The brunette’s steely gaze softens as she looks back to Emma who is smiling at her like the big dope she is at heart. 

“I’m not jealous,” Regina huffs in a last ditch effort to keep some of her pride in tact. 

Emma rolls her eyes as she hops back on the bike. “Of course you aren’t,” she replies, but her tone tells Regina that she doesn’t buy it. “Just like I’m not jealous of you around your friends.” 

Regina’s eyebrows nearly shoot off her head. “Wait, what?” she rushes out, curious but Emma has already started to bike and they take off before the blonde answers her question. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------

 

The first time Emma meets Kathryn Midas is on a Tuesday after school. The blonde was busy brushing down Cici when the other blonde came looking for Regina.

“You’re Emma,” the rich girl states as she inspects the stablehand from head to toe. Kathryn is leaning against the stall Emma is working in, and she radiates prissiness. It might make a normal teenage girl self-conscious but Emma is use to people judging her. So she simply ignores it. “Have you seen the pain in the ass I call my best friend?”

“Can’t say that I have,” she answers simply as she continues to do her job. 

“Tell me, is the whole sexy-misunderstood thing an act or real? Because you have half the school in heat and hardly ever glance at any of them.” 

Emma laughs. 

She laughs so hard that she drops the brush, bends her knees, and can barely breathe. Once she’s regained her composure she turns to the other blonde, ”Regina was right about you.” 

That has Kathryn intrigued. She takes a step further into her workplace, wondering what about this girl has her friend so utterly captivated. Emma is definitely hot, but Regina doesn’t really go for people based on looks. There’s got to be something more to this girl for that to happen.

“She was? What did she tell you? That I’m a royal bitch?” 

Emma shakes her head, “No, more like an audacious babe, and she was right. Also blunt, painfully so. To answer your question, no I don’t put on acts. But, I’m pretty sure the only admirer I’ve gained is Neal, and there’s no chance of that happening.” 

“Ah, yes. Our friend does have quite the crush on you.” 

“Tell me about it.” 

Kathryn giggles a bit at her sarcastic response, and takes a seat on the workbench. Emma watches as the blonde makes herself comfortable. Despite the fact that she’s been made aware that Regina is nowhere near her, Kathryn seems to be sticking around. 

“I suppose you don’t return his advances?” Emma finds it amusing that Kathryn and Regina have the same way of speaking. Like grown women in youngsters bodies. Perhaps it’s their similar upbringing? 

“No. I mean Neal is alright. I like him as a friend, but nothing more.” 

“Since you have no interest in Neal is there someone else who’s caught your eye?” Kathryn’s honeyed words have Emma’s radar going off. She turns back to the blonde who gives her a telling face. They’re not talking about Neal or crushes. She’s being asked about Regina, specifically whether or not there’s something going on between them.

“I’m not dating anyone,” Emma answers, a coy smile on her lips. She’s not going to fall for this. Kathryn seems to respect her claim, because she smiles back at her. 

“You know, me and Regina use to date.” 

Emma feels her entire body stiffen from the utter shock of the admission. “Is that so,” she says in a rigid manner as she pretends to be uninterested, turning her back to continue brushing, when really she is so thrown off guard it’s not even funny. They weren’t even dancing around such a topic, which is her clue that Kathryn is trying to say something to her without really saying it. 

“Of course we were just kids. We had been friends all our lives and then we both hit puberty. People underestimate hormones and curiosity. Regina is such a beautiful girl, and when you’re close with someone it’s hard not to develop feelings for them. It didn’t last very long, and we realized we’re better off as friends. But, I do know what it’s like to fall for the girl.” The end of the sentence is said in a way that indicates Kathryn is aware of what Emma is going through. 

Her tongue explores the inner cavern of her cheeks as the blonde searches for a response. She turns to Kathryn who is staring back at her knowingly, a challenge for Emma to dispute. But, she can sense that there is no point. There’s a reason this girl is best friends with Regina, and Emma is seeing the contrast and similarities in vivid color now.

“Is there something you’re trying to say or are we just going to beat around the bush all day?” 

“I’m merely telling a story.” 

“Contrary to Regina I will answer a question directly if you ask me.” 

Kathryn’s lips turn up a bit in a pleased way. Emma admires the girl’s poise, and Kathryn respects Emma’s ability to remain cool even under her lengthy gaze. 

“Fine. What are you doing with Regina?” 

Emma lets the brush fall to the bucket as she sticks her hands in her back pockets. A nervous tick she’s had since she was little. 

“We’re just friends.” 

“Haven’t I made it clear that I understand that already. I’m asking what you want from her.” 

“It’s nothing,” Emma answers in earnest, as she runs her hand through her blonde locks. 

“No, it’s something.” Kathryn’s eyes are staring back at her, begging her to come clean. For some weird reason she feels like she can trust the heiress with this. 

“I care about her, a lot. More than I’ve ever cared about someone else. But, we’re friends and that comes first.”

The young rich girl lets out a dreamy sigh, ”you’re as wonderful as she says.” Kat pats Emma gently on the shoulder, giving her a pitied smile because she’s sympathetic to Emma’s troubles. 

“She talks about me?” 

Kat is halfway out the door, but she throws her head back and laughs heartily. “Yes dear, she does.” 

“Hey Kathryn,” the heiress halts mid-stride and turns back to the stablegirl. “When you and Regina…how did you know that she returned what you felt?” 

A dreary look hazes over the blonde’s face as she drifts back to those memories. “She didn’t,” is Kathryn’s response. Emma can tell by the sad expression on her features that Regina broke her heart without even knowing. 

“It’s better this way, for us,” Kathryn clarifies “but I’m not so sure about for you.” 

With that the town’s second teen princess leaves her more confused about Regina than before. 

 

\-----------------------------------

 

Regina taps her pencil when she’s concentrating. Emma finds the sound to be completely annoying. She grabs the writing utensil out of the brunette’s hand and throws it across the school’s library before she has an actual conniption. 

The brunette just glares at her in shock. “You’re driving me nuts,” the blonde justifies as she tries to focus on her math book. She’s got a test coming up, and she does not understand this crap. Her and Regina studying together was not a good idea, because having her around is distracting. 

“Someone’s grouchy,” Regina mocks as she takes out a pen this time. 

“Sorry. I just don’t get this stuff and I have to pass my test on Friday.” Emma’s got her hands tangled through her own hair as she struggles not to pull it out. Regina quite likes it when the blonde is a ruffled mess, it’s so attractive. The brunette plucks the book from her friend’s hands as her eyes fixate on what’s troubling her study partner. 

“What don’t you understand?” Regina asks, voice stern like a teacher’s. 

“Pages 1-1000,” Emma grumbles as she lets her head fall to the desk in a heap. Regina and her have been studying together twice a week at lunch for the past month. Sometimes the brunette helps her, and sometimes Emma just lets herself silently suffer. But the blonde finds having a smart person in her presence is enough to motivate her to try. Regina makes her want to be better. 

“Come to dinner at my house tonight after work. We’ll eat and then I’ll tutor you so that you can pass your exam.” 

Emma’s head rises at that. “Regina I can’t ask you to do that.” 

“You’re not. I’m telling you. I can’t have you failing.” 

“Yeah, but there’s no way your parents will be okay with that.” Emma is almost certain that Cora thinks she is nothing more than a dishrag, even if Mr. Mills is courteous to her. 

“Nonsense. My Dad likes you and Mother is a bitch to everyone. You need help and I’m going to give it to you.” 

Emma knows what she wants to say, but this is not the time to be chivalrous or cautious. She really needs to pass, and Regina is at the top of their class. 

“Only if I can shower before I dine with your parents.” 

“Whatever you need,” Regina says in a dismissive tone as her attention is recaptured by her book, the problem already solved in her mind. At least one of them is chill about the idea. 

Nearly seven hours later Emma finds herself in the nicest bathroom she’s ever been in. Regina had let her use what they called the ‘guest bathroom’ to clean herself up. Which was a Godsend because David had her mucking out most of the stalls today. 

Showering in her employer’s house made her feel a bit on edge. Regina had acted like it was no big deal, but it really made the blonde uncomfortable. She tried to get in and out as quickly as possible. She hadn’t been able to grab a spare set of clothes though, so her jeans and t-shirt would have to do for dinner. 

When she emerged from the nicest bathroom on the planet Regina was waiting for her in what she had referred to as the ‘drawing room’. Emma had figured that meant living room in rich people talk. 

“You look nice,” Regina complimented as she gazed up from her book. 

Emma rolled her eyes at her and took a seat next to the brunette. “Your house is nice. I look somewhat presentable which is only because I took a shower here.” 

Before Regina can get a protest out of her mouth Henry Mills appears, a radiant smile on his face as he sees them together. “Emma, how lovely of you to join us,” he greets, outstretching his arms as he walks up and places a kiss on his daughter’s forehead. Regina smiles at her Father as he takes a seat on the sofa across from them. 

“Thank you for having me,” she replies, turning to every bit of manners she was taught throughout her various foster homes. Some of her hosts cared about children being polite, and others didn’t care if she existed. 

“Tell me how are the horses treating you? David says your handling has improved greatly since you started.” The man is all smiles and cheers as he settles in with them. His attitude is simply positive, which hadn’t been what Emma was expecting from the man. Henry Mills is one of the happiest people she’s ever seen, and his demeanor rubs off on his daughter when they’re around each other. 

Emma feels her face flush a bit, “David has the tendency to give me more credit than I deserve.” 

Regina is beaming at her Father, enjoying two of her favorite people in the same room. The blonde can tell by the way Regina is looking at her Dad that she adores the man. That makes her all the more nervous about him liking her. 

“Nonsense. I’ve helped train you myself,” Regina adds, with a wink at her Dad who smiles back at his daughter. 

“Well what about school? I understand that my Ginabelle is going to be tutoring you?”  
Emma stifles a laugh at the pet name. “Dad, seriously?” Regina grits out, clearly embarrassed by the private nickname. The man throws his hands up, dumbfounded as to what he said. The blonde smirks at her friend, wagging her eyebrows before she presses on. 

“Yeah, Regina is going to help me with my Math.” 

“Good, because she’s awful at history.” 

The brunette sticks her tongue at her Father in jest, and the man chuckles again. Emma is finding that she quite likes Mr. Mills. 

“Regina do behave yourself, we have a guest.” 

Emma feels Regina’s body go rigid as the new voice’s owner joins them. Cora Mills has been nothing more than a figment of her imagination since she began working at the farm. Now the woman is standing before her in all her glory. Her reputation as a rather elegant, in-control individual is a shinning truth. 

Cora is dressed in gray slacks, and a rather expensive looking blouse. Heels as well, which solves the mystery of where Regina got that quirk from. Her hair is in an up-do and she has some stylish jewelry to accompany her ensemble. 

“Good evening, Mrs. Mills,” Emma greets, as Regina’s Mother takes a seat next to her husband. She crosses her legs in a proper way, and there’s just something regal about the woman. 

“Ms. Swan,” she says with a nod of acknowledgment. Emma can just tell that Cora is not as fond of her as Henry is. That doesn’t bother her as much, seeing as how Regina isn’t overly gaga for her Mom anyway.

“Lovely to have you for dinner, we like to get to know all of our employees personally,” Cora says with extra emphasis on ‘employee’. She’s putting Emma in her place, and she can’t begrudge the woman for doing so. Judging from Cora’s fake, well-practiced smile this is nothing more than an act forced on her. But, Regina lets out a groan of embarrassment that her Mother chooses to ignore. 

“My wife is quite the hostess, you’ll have to come to one of her parties,” Henry says cheerfully to counteract his wife’s discrepancy. 

“Yes,” Cora agrees in a voice that sounds like she might be ill at the very thought. Emma is twiddling with her fingers, wishing for this to be over while Regina leans closer to her in a protective stance. It makes Emma’s heart swell, but at the same time she feels guilty for causing an obvious divide in her family. Why did she ever agree to this?

“Dinner is served,” a man in a fancy suit announces as he stands in the doorway. As they get up to eat, Regina grabs her hand and squeezes. “Don’t let her bother you,” she whispers as she drags Emma along behind her parents. 

But, Cora does bother her, even if Regina is secretly holding her hand. Through the whole dinner the woman makes snide remarks about her, and Regina, and everything else. Regina even throws a few of her own in the woman’s direction in response. Henry eats as if it’s the most wonderful meal he’s had in years. And Emma begins to grasp that Regina’s perfect life isn’t as it seems. Even if it’s the best food she’s ever had. Whatever the dish was, it kind of looked like chicken.

Regina is in a foul mood by the time they make it up to her room. She’s not saying much, and she nearly rips Emma’s pre-calc book in half when she opens it. 

“Hey,” the blonde says in a soft tone as she gently removes the brunette’s hand from her textbook. “Relax.” 

Regina lets out a huff, bites her lip, and pensively stares out the window. “I’m sorry you had to put up with that.” It’s the sincerity behind those brown eyes that has Emma positively melting inside. 

“Regina, no offense, but I’ve dealt with far worse than your Mother.” It’s true, if only the girl knew how much. Regina turns to her, and Emma gives her a faint smile as she watches her friend’s eyes wander her face with curiosity before deciding not to press further.

Ugh, what that girl can do to her with a look is just plain unfair.

Being the over-worked fool that Regina is, she immediately turns back to the book laid out before them and starts to fumble through the pages reciting something about an acronym to remember. 

“We don’t have to do this, we can just…hang out.” 

“You need to know this,” Regina reasons, not bothering to look at her. 

“Yeah, well my best friend needs some cheering up, so math can wait until tomorrow.” 

Regina’s head jerks up, eyes pouring into Emma’s putting the blonde into a trance. “Best friend?” emits from Regina’s lips. Emma narrows her brow at the brunette, a half-smile creeping up her lips as her brain catches up to her mouth. She needs to think before she speaks more often. 

“Well, yeah,” Emma stammers out. “I mean, that’s what we are right? At least, to me.” The daunting of rejection is hanging in her mind, and Emma remembers why she never lets people in once again. Regina is somehow the exception. 

Regina gives Emma that smile. The one that makes the Earth shake beneath the blonde, and that would make Venus herself envious. “Yeah, we are,” Regina says, as more emotion than she’s comfortable with hits her like a ton of rocks. Fuck, does she care about this girl. 

“So, why don’t we put on a dumb movie and goof off for a bit, Ginabelle?” Emma propositions with a smug grin. Regina smirks at her, but can’t help but resist the blonde. She’d follow Emma anywhere. 

“What the hell,” is her reply as she slips into the teenage girl she suppose to be. The Regina she only ever is around Emma. The real one. 

Emma makes her laugh. A lot. Despite her sometimes cocky attitude, and her corny jokes. The blonde makes her feel at ease, a hard feat for the brunette as life forces her to be a wind up doll most of time. With Emma it’s different, she can just be. 

They watch some old Hitchcock film while eating popcorn because Emma is a never ending pit, as the brunette put it. Which provokes the blonde to throw popcorn at Regina until she’s squealing laughing despite her half-hearted protests of the girl making a mess. Which, Emma does clean up. They talk, more than anything. It’s weird, because both the girls never really have the urge to talk, at least not about themselves. But together, it’s a different story. 

One where Emma recants some of her dumbest stunts to escape the police, including a tumble down a subway tunnel that nearly killed her. Regina tells her all about growing up in Storybrooke, and what the place means to her. Because even if she can’t stand it, it’s her home. Emma makes her appreciate how special a gift that is. There’s a lot of eye contact, that has them both blushing, but nothing more. It’s an innocent night of fun, and one both girls wish would never stop. But, everything has to sooner or later. 

By the end of their night Regina’s nearly forgotten that she was upset in the first place, and her evening with her Mom is a distant past that she can’t recall. It’s with great disappointment that she lets Emma leave, but it is a school night otherwise she’d offer for her to sleepover. 

When Regina walks Emma to her door, the blonde has a lazy, elated look on her face. A similar one is mirrored on the brunette, as the world around them no longer seems as daunting when they’re together. 

“Until tomorrow, my lady” Emma says, bowing to the brunette. Mocking her fancy evening in the Mill’s Manor. Regina chuckles, covering her mouth in modesty as she curtsey’s to the blonde, playing along. 

“Don’t think you’re getting out of studying, I’ll see you tomorrow at lunch in the library.” Emma lets out a groan, as she walks through the doorway, the brunette hovering inside from the night’s chill. 

Then the blonde’s face gets a bit more serious, her eyes heavy with some emotion that she can’t quite place. “Good night Regina,” Emma mumbles, as she takes a step toward her. For a split second Regina thinks she’s going to kiss her, but Emma merely grabs her helmet from the porch bench. 

“Night,” Regina returns, watching as the blonde saunters off to her bike. She waits until the red light of Emma’s rear fenders disappears down their driveway before she heads back to her room. 

She still has work that has to be done, even if she wants to curl up and got to sleep. As Regina sits down at her desk and wakes her computer up, a most satisfied smile shines through at the mere memory of her evening that only ended seconds ago. 

Until Graham is staring back at her, the picture she’s been meaning to change still her screensaver. Once again her night is back to complete shit as Regina is faced with another ongoing problem known as her boyfriend. 

...

The next morning Regina finds a note stuffed in her locker. 

_You have the most beautiful smile._

Written on a piece of scrap paper that has seen better days. Regina finds herself grinning from ear to ear down at the message, wondering who wrote it, even though the handwriting looks familiar. When she looks up to see if anyone is around, Emma is standing at the end of the hallway. She’s getting books out of her own locker. The blonde turns to the brunette, smirks, then winks as she shuts her locker and heads in the other direction. 

Regina realizes then for the first time that she’s falling for Emma Swan, and there’s not a damn thing she can do about it. 

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

Ruby is dating Belle, and it’s the town’s latest scandal. Of course Storybrooke High makes the couple their latest victims to its medieval way of thinking, as the student body attempts to hound the two. It doesn’t last long. 

For two reasons: 1.) They don’t care what people think, 2.) Emma Swan. 

When Clayton, the captain of the football team, and all around asshole decides to make his thoughts known about them holding hands, things get ugly and resolved rather quickly.

Red was just walking Belle to class one day, a normal activity for most couples, but apparently it’s a sin against humanity for them. Because he slaps their books out of their hands and starts shouting at them. Pretty soon the girl’s are backed up against the lockers with the other half of the football team backing him up. A crowd has formed, and trapped them in as the onlookers laughed. 

Mary Margaret’s sees this happen, and immediately runs to find help. The first people she gets to are Emma and Regina who are just about to enter the library. 

“Quick, Emma it’s Ruby,” Mary Margaret shouts, grabbing the blonde and jerking her toward the commotion. The panicked looked on M&M’s face has Emma running without question, because she knows that face all to well; Something bad is happening. Regina chases after them wondering what the hell is going on.

By the time Emma gets there, Red has a bloodied nose, and Belle is being jerked around by the arm by Gaston, another football player who’s threatening to slap her. The blonde’s instincts kick in as she pushes through the semi-circle of students. Her blood pumping widely as she watches Clayton wind his fist back to hit Red again. Emma’s vision floods with red at the sight. 

This is something she’s seen her whole life. To herself, and to the other kids she grew up with. People pick on the weak, the ones who are different, because they’re afraid of them. Emma never understood that, and rather than let it happen she learned to embrace being feared. That’s why she snaps into action when she see’s her friends in hurt. It’s like her past is coming back to her all at once. And all she can see is the pain that she herself knows too well. That’s why she snaps into action without a second thought. 

“Hey, asshole,” Emma screams as she break through the people, grabbing a book out of a nearby kid’s hands. The dude turns his head to her, distracted by the insult which is just what she wanted because Emma slams the heavy book so hard against his head that he falls to the floor. Another swift kick to Clayton’s gut and face has him down for good. Emma can see Regina and Mary Margaret rushing to the waitress to help. But, she’s a little busy with the other oaf who’s coming at her now. 

This one takes a swing at her, but she ducks, and comes back up connecting the book from underneath his chin. Blood emits from his mouth from biting his tongue, as he goes down to one knee in pain. The blonde coils her arm back, and gives him one good punch to the face before he too lands on the linoleum. Emma grabs Belle, and hands her off to the other two who are forming a barrier between the girl’s and the crowd. 

“Anyone else?” Emma shouts, staring down every one of the fucking bigots who started this, and the cowards who watched it happen and did nothing. Her hands are at the ready, her fighting stance coming back to her like an old friend. Some of the guys look like they’re about to pounce on her. It’s about five of them, and there’s no way she can take them all on at once. But she’ll try. One dude breaks from the ring, a sleezy looking guy with slicked-back hair, and Emma isn’t fast enough to deflect his sucker-punch. His fist connects square with her jaw, and another blow hits her other cheek before she can react. Child’s play compared to the punches she sustained from some of her foster Dad’s. She smiles at him when she regains composer, and it terrifies the guy. Emma can see it in his eyes, the blonde winds up her own arm, ready to beat the shit out of him. 

It’s then that Graham breaks through the students, Neal in tow, as he shoves the guy back into the crowd and away from Emma. “Back off Pete,” Graham roars. The three proceed to stand next to Emma like soldiers. Snarls on all their faces, as they challenge the men to a fair fight. It bothers her for a second that Graham is being a good guy, but right now that’s not important. 

“That’ll be enough,” a voice calls over all of them, and the student’s part like the Red Sea to reveal half the faculty making their way through. 

Emma eyes lock with Regina’s who is staring at her in utter concern. Not only because she just watched Emma get hit, but the brunette knows the terms of her sentence, and she knows what’s going to happen now. Emma doesn’t flinch when one of the teachers grabs her arms, clearly thinking she’s the ringleader. The boys will blame it all on them, she knows that. What sucks is that because Emma’s a foster kid she won’t stand a chance, she knows that too.

So, Emma just gazes at Regina as they drag her away, wondering if this will be the last time she gets to see her. Until Graham comes up behind Regina and pulls her into a fierce hug. What she can’t see is the brunette fighting off his embrace. No, the last image Emma gets of Regina is of her and Graham, and her heart shatters into a million pieces. She turns away, walking with the teacher, completely defeated. Once they rounded the corner, Emma sees that they called the cops. 

Fuck.

\---------------------------------------------------------

 

“She didn’t do anything,” Regina screams at her parents, wishing to God she could make them understand. 

“You’re never to see that little bitch again, do you understand me,” Cora’s shrill voice rings through the room. Henry Mills steps to his wife, trying to calm her, but she ignores the man. 

“Watch your mouth, that girl saved my granddaughter,” Eugenia Lucas fires back. Cora turns with a death stare for the woman who merely turns her nose up at the woman. No one, absolutely no one scared Granny. 

“I don’t understand what even started this!” Moe French exclaims, as he stops pacing in the waiting room. The other parents aware of his ignorance to the girl’s relationship.

Doctor Whale is watching all of this happen in his waiting room, and he wonders if another fight is going to break out. His ER is already filled up with high school kids, and he can’t afford to have another emergency on his hands. Robin Locksley, the town’s sheriff, comes up next to him, joining the spectator position for a minute before he has to intervene. 

“Is that the mayor?” Robin asks the doctor, seeing Henry Mills in the middle of the yelling parents. There’s nothing Storybrooke’s sheriff hates more than a gang of angry parents. But the Mayor takes it to another level. Even Mary Margaret, David, and her Father Leopold are dead center trying to prevent another fight from breaking out.

“I believe so,” Whale answers. 

“That’s got to be half the town in there,” Robin says, whistling at the sheer number of them. 

“They’ve gone mad,” Whale comments, and the sheriff nods his head in agreement. 

The two man stand there for a few minutes, before it looks like Granny is going to kill Cora Mills. And Regina is standing between her Father and Leopold who look as if they may go at it as well. Leave it to the Mills to be the hot-headed ones. Robin chooses that moment to put two fingers in his mouth and blow out an ear-popping whistle that has the whole herd of them turning in unison to stare at him. 

“Right,” he stammers, amazed that the trick actually worked. But he plays it off with confidence as he turns to Whale. “Doctor, I believe you have some things to say?” 

“Is my Ruby alright?” Eugenia demands, stepping in front of everyone. The woman has already lost her own daughter, and husband. Red means everything to her, and it’s plastered all over the older woman’s face.

“She’s fine. A broken nose, but it will heal,” Dr. Whale assures, and a wave of relief washes over her. 

“All of the students involved in the incident seem to be fine. Belle is a bit bruised, and the boys suffered some minor broken bones. Otherwise, no serious injuries.” 

The parents seem to slump into elation at hearing the good news. But that only lasts a second because Mary Margaret pipes up, “What about Emma?” 

Regina steps forward, “out with it, doctor,” she barks. Her patience faded long ago, as Emma’s face appears in her head once again. The look of such pain, and it wasn’t from the fight. She needs to get to her. 

“Emma was cleared, and taken into custody,” Robin answers. 

“What?!” Regina shrieks, charging at the man with the badge. Her father grabs her before she can get her hands on him. M&M is just as enraged, but she doesn’t react quite so harshly. 

“Why? She was defending them,” the pixie-haired girl implores in a patient voice despite the rage boiling inside her. David grabs her hand in support. 

“There will be an investigation conducted to determine what happened. Until then, Emma will have to remain in custody.” 

“This is your fault,” Regina hisses at the girl, thoroughly irritated at Snow once again. “Why couldn’t you just go find someone else instead of Emma? Why do you always have to fuck everything up!” 

“Regina who the hell was I suppose to know?” Snow retorts, because she’s tired of the brunette blaming her for things that are not her fault. All because of some stupid mistake she made when they were children. 

“Let’s calm down,” David says, stepping between the two women before someone does something else stupid today. “If you’re going to arrest Emma, why not us?” Neal asks, pointing to him and Graham who are in the crowd. The boy nod in consensus, wondering why the blonde is taking the brunt of all this. 

“Because you never actually hit anyone, you’ll be interviewed, but Emma is the one who retaliated.” 

“What about those boys, huh? They hit my granddaughter and I want them arrested,” Eugenia commands. 

“Me too,” Moe chimes in. 

“They will be once Dr. Whale clears them,” he assures. 

“Do something,” Regina says to her Father, her eyes pleading with the man of power. He bows his head in response, ashamed of himself. 

“Regina, I can’t.” 

“Folks, we’re going to make this as painless as possible. But, we’re going to need your full corporation in all of this,” Robin’s voice announces, breaking their little conversation up without a resolution. 

“You’ll have it,” David answers, with a few nods of the pensive group members involved. 

“We thank you for that. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Robin bids them farewell, as him and the doctor leave the group just as they found them. 

“I’m going to find Emma,” Regina sneers at her parents as she grabs her jacket and bag from the chair they were waiting in. 

“Me too,” Mary Margaret adds. 

“Me three.” 

“All of us are,” David says, and sure enough every one of the students march out, leaving their dumbfounded parents together. A train of Storybrooke’s youth lead by Regina herself, headed right for the police station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. I always try to respond!


	6. What a Wonderful Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: same as always
> 
> Warning: You may hate me, and love me from this chapter, but I assure you this story is nowhere near ending. And yes, there is a greater plan that you will love. That being said, major angst warning. Also, probably some serious inaccuracies about the court system, and yada, but this is all fantasy. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for the lovely comments. Seriously, I appreciate feedback more than you know because it keeps me going. I do not have a beta though, so beware that I may have mistakes. Feel free to point them out.  
> Also, I am kind of experimenting with my writing style in this fic, so if things are seem jumbled or a bit different that's why. 
> 
> Lots of love to you all, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Jail. 

Where Emma always knew she’d end up sooner or later; like the doorstep of your parents’ house, if you have them. 

An old friend in some ways to the blonde, and a reminder of what she’s been told most of her life. Her first foster family said that she would be locked up by the time she was thirteen, and they weren’t wrong. But, it wasn’t because she was a bad kid. No, it was because her temporary parents weren’t feeding her or the other kid they had taken in. So, Emma stole food from a nearby market, and was caught. That was when she was eight, so the Whites were off by a few years. This time, this time a nice officer wouldn’t have mercy on a troubled youth. 

She was royally screwed. 

When you’re constantly running from the law in some way or another, you start to wonder what would ever happen if you were to be caught. Like whether you’ll go down in a blaze of glory or go willingly because you’re tired of running. In all of the scenarios Emma had dreamed up in her head, this one was never in the cards. 

The blonde never imagined that she would be caught in a small town like Storybrooke where the only crime was the occasional drunk and disorderly. She could have never predicted that she’d go down for protecting friends, because she never had them before a day in her life. And, she’s a bit peeved that her downfall is so anti-climatic. The only thing that is somewhat believable is that it was for fighting, which Emma had a bad track record of. 

Truly, Emma can’t even think about what’s going to happen to her. All her mind keeps doing is flashing the image of Regina and Graham over and over again. It’s running through her like cold water, shaking her from the dream that was Regina and making her face reality. 

There’s only two cells. It’s a small town and there isn’t much crime, so Emma’s the only one locked up currently. A jail cell that she’s convinced was constructed in the 1800s and hadn’t been touched since because the walls are made of stone, and the whole place resembles a bad western set. The blonde is perched on the small bench, kneels curled into her chest, as her head hangs between her legs. She’s clutching herself tightly, and she notes that her arms really are getting stronger as the blonde nearly crushes her ribs. Emma is about 90% sure that the wood she’s sitting on is rock in disguise, because it’s not much more comfortable than the concrete floor. 

Her green eyes are fixated on the cold slab beneath her feet. Because that’s where she is right now. She’s hit the floor once again, but this time she’s pretty sure there’s no getting up. Emma’s violated her probation, proven that she’s unfit for a rehabilitation program, and that will make the court think that she’s in need of more drastic punishment. Even if she argues self-defense it will still reflect badly and any judge in the country will evict her from Storybrooke and send her to juvie, or worse another grouphome. 

The sad part is she wouldn’t take it back. If Emma had the chance to wind back time and do it all over again, she’d still fight. Because what those guys were doing was wrong, and she knew that in her heart. No matter what, every time she would have fought back. The notion peps her up a bit. Emma Swan stood up for what she believed in, and that’s a good enough reason for her. Even if it means jail time, Ruby and Belle are safe and they’re going to be okay. That’s what really matters. 

She can handle prison. 

Hopefully. 

Killian’s the first one to arrive, he swaggers in not at all phased by seeing Emma behind bars. Her foster brother struts up to the cell, his hands holding onto his belt buckle as he leans against wall, giving Emma a sympathetic look. His eyes gaze over her, stilling at the swollen cheek and black eye that’s beginning to form. 

“Did you win?” he asks, a serious look in his eyes despite the sportive words. 

“Yeah,” Emma answers, because she had. The man has a way of getting things out of her anyway, and she’s never had to lie to Hook. To his credit he’s really not judgmental of others, he’s too concerned with his own shit to bother. 

“I hate to see what the other guy looks like then,” Hook adds, that smug grin coming over his face. Emma can’t help but let out a laugh, because it’s all so ridiculous. “Guys,” she corrects, and Killian’s eyebrows shoot up a bit as he chuckles. 

“Damn Swan, you’re tougher than I thought.” 

“What are you doing here?” she wonders, after a few beats of silence pass over them. 

“The school called the house right when I happened to be visiting my folks. I figured you’d rather deal with me than them.” He shrugs like it’s nothing, but to Emma it’s everything. Hook’s here, someone is actually here for her. No one ever showed up like that before for her in situations like this. She wants to hug him, do something, but instead she just gives him a soft smile and he knows what it means. 

Before Emma can say thank you Tink is storming into the station, irate as the blonde has ever seen her. Hook and her lock eyes for a moment and Emma can see all the pain and sorrow in his, and she can bet that her own reflect a similar pain to him today. But, Killian just winks at her, takes a deep breath, then turns to greet the love of his life in all his cocky glory that some would call the man’s charm. 

“Tina, wonderful to see you as always.” 

“Can it Hook, I don’t have time for you today,” the blonde hisses as she stalks up to the bars. “Emma, what the hell happened?” 

The young social worker is clearly pissed off, disheveled in some regard because she only has half her make-up on, different colored socks, and her hair is wet. She’s carrying her briefcase, and Emma can just tell that Tink got pulled out of something to come and deal with her sorry ass. The blonde’s kind of mad of herself for being a burden right now, because Tink was the first case worker who actually gave her a real chance. Who believed in her, and now she’s gone and broken their deal. 

“I got in a fight,” Emma mumbles, as she gets up from her seat. 

“Yeah, figured that part out on my own. Over what?” Tink demands, and Emma is quite certain she wasn’t filled in on the events of the day. 

“Some lads were having a go at a couple of girls who are dating. Emma here stepped in and saved the day , or so that’s what Red’s grandmother told me,” Killian fills in. Tink stares at him in utter disbelief, then shakes her head, and turns to the blonde as if she’s trying to process it all. 

“Ruby and Belle?” Tink’s voice is a mere whisper. Her eyes tell Emma that she suspected, as the blonde is friends with them too. There’s anger behind her features, but she’s trying to be professional, objective even though the blonde imagines Tink would have done the same thing. 

“Yeah,” Emma answers, shaking her head to confirm. 

Tink snaps to attention, a wind of energy suddenly hitting the social worker as she stares intently at her charge. “Okay Emma, I need the whole story. Every detail, start from the top.” 

Emma tells Tink the story. The whole story from the beginning and even owns up to using the textbook, which in the court’s mind will be the equivalent of a assault with a weapon. Learned that one the hard way. Just as she finishes a commotion of sorts begins to echo through the hallway that leads to the front door. Then there are footsteps, loud and thunderous coming toward them, and the three brace themselves as if a mob is about to burn them at the stake. 

John, Robin’s deputy, who up until that point had been enjoying a donut and some coffee as he sat at his desk ignoring the group’s conversation, suddenly comes alive with terror. The man jumps up from his position, his hand ready at his gun, as what has to be half of Storybrooke High marches into the police station. Emma sees John reach for his radio as the man grumbles some code that probably requests back-up. 

It’s Regina’s voice that makes it to her first, as the brunette is the one at the front. David, Mary Margaret, Graham, Neal, and even Kathryn following behind them. “Emma,” she nearly screams, as her eyes lay on her for the first time in hours. The blonde’s own eyes blow wide, a bit shaken by the amount of people standing around. 

“Regina, what are you doing here?” Emma is both confused, and happy to see the girl again. But Graham is standing right behind her as if to tell her that what she saw earlier is still true. But, there are more important things going on right now. Like half the school storming the station. 

“We’re here because this is absolute bullshit,” Kathryn yells, directing her voice toward John who is panicking, as he is at a lost of what to do. 

“Because we’re not going to let them arrest you over this,” David bellows, and his chest puffs out a bit. Emma always did like his self-righteous streak. 

“Oy love, it seems you have the whole town behind you,” Hook adds with a wink at Emma who smiles, because it would appear she does. Regina watches this, scowling at the man wearing leather pants in Maine of all places before turning back to Emma deeming him irrelevant. 

“If my Father has to call in every favor he’s owed, we’re going to get you out of here,” Regina says in a stern voice, the nastier side peaking through as the brunette takes on a protective role. This is why everyone warned her not to piss Regina off. But Emma thinks it’s kind of hot. 

Emma wants to cry. She feels like she could just weep, because there are so many people surrounding them. People who care about her, and it’s so overwhelming. The blonde doesn’t cry, no, she just smiles like a fool at all of them. Understanding why people care about each other, why family matters, and why deep down they didn’t want to be alone. To feel this wanted, this loved was a whole new ball game and Emma could barely believe it. 

“Thank you,” Emma mutters directing her glance to all of them. Every single person she can see, so that they all know how much it means to her. She narrows her vision to Regina, who’s mocha brown eyes lock with hers silently letting the brunette know everything that it’s in her heart, for just a second. “But, there’s no use in all of us getting arrest. You might as well go home, there’s nothing we can do,” her defeated voice echoes, hoping to knock some sense into the bunch. 

“Emma Swan,” is screamed across the jumble mess of teenagers and the blonde lights up because she knows that voice. Loves that voice. 

“Red!” she yells as the waitress makes her way to the front, some rather hefty bandaging plastered on her nose, and purple marks under her eyes from the break. Belle is following behind her, clutching Ruby’s hand like it’s a life line. The girl’s body comes to rest against the bars, as she leans in closer to the blonde smirking at her. “I always knew you’d end up in the slammer, just thought I’d be the one with you,” Ruby teases, and Emma has never been happier to see someone in her life. 

“I’m glad you're both okay,” Emma rushes out, and Belle smiles shyly at her, before looking to Red who gives her a nod. Obviously some secret communication happening, as the librarian disappears into the crowd. 

“What are you doing?” Emma whispers, recognizing Red’s up-to-no-good face. She’s scheming up something, and the blonde is scared of what exactly that is. “Trust me,” Red says under her breath as she gives Emma a wink. Then she turns to the posse of kids, whispering something frantically to M&M, David, and Regina. Tink is eyeing her like she too knows that this is not going to end well. 

The next thing Emma knows Belle is standing in the middle of the room on top of the desk, and John has all but lost his shit as he tries to coax her down. Robin rushes in, with the other three police officers that the town has. Belle, the quiet, soft-spoken, rather nice one of the group turns to them with a glare that is chilling. 

“If you want to arrest Emma Swan, then you’re going to arrest all of us,” Belle screams. 

“Belle, don’t be foolish. We can’t just arrest all of you.” Robin is trying to reason with them, because there’s nothing more dangerous than a group of teenagers united over a cause. This particular crowd seems to have picked Emma Swan. 

“Really?” Regina purrs, and there’s a certain glisten to her eyes that Emma’s never seen before as she stalks toward the men in blue as if they were prey. 

And chaos takes over. 

David throws over a near by desk and papers fly. Mary Margaret and Mulan head for the file cabinets combining strength to tip them over. Belle hurls a rather large mug into the window of the sheriff’s private office shattering it. Red reaches for a fire extinguisher that was hanging nearby, and aims it right for Robin’s face. Regina is standing on a chair using a lighter to set off the sprinkler system that has bells ringing, and rain pouring down from the ceiling. Each one of them is throwing something, turning something over, as the station is reduced to nothing more than fragments of furniture, paper, and soaked clothing. Even Tink and Killian are joining in on the utter fun, laughing as they shout ‘just like old times’ together as they unlock the other cell, and get in, handcuffing themselves to the bars smiling foolishly at one another. 

When the office is thoroughly destroyed, the friends all stand proud of what they had done as they hold out their arms in surrender, symbolizing that they can indeed be arrested now. As water pours down, and everything is in a blur Emma just laughs. She laughs from the joy, the hilarity of the it, and because she is loved for the first time in her life. Loved enough to have an entire town destroying a police station in protest of her arrest. God, it feels like everything she’s ever missed in life is hitting her all at once. 

Robin, John, Flynn, and Eric are all standing in the water, bodies covered in white foam, as the youths stare at them with bated breath, and determined faces. Robin wipes the gunk out of his eyes before he speaks, his voice a cross between a laugh and a yell “you heard them, arrest them. All of them.” 

And that’s how half of Storybrooke High got thrown in jail on the same day. And how Emma Swan found her family, a rather large one to be exact. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 

_“Community service, the lot of ya.”_

The judge had ordered as all twelve of the lawbreakers stood before the court. Gold, Neal’s Father the residing enforcer who took mercy on them because his own son was in their group. Emma never realized what Neal’s Dad did. Gold also made sure to have Clayton, Gaston, and Pete are all expelled. Sure, their parents pitched a fit, but the gang of misfits had Regina and Kathryn on their side. And it really does help when your Dad is the mayor of the town you’re being trialed in or a CEO with so, so much money; boat loads. Both men had their own team of assassin lawyers who made it simple for everyone involved. 

Robin took mercy on them all, and had even told Emma that he admired what she had done. He wasn’t happy about putting her behind bars, but there was nothing he could do. He also wasn’t happy about his police station being destroyed, but the kids community service turned out to be fixing the place back up, which Mr. Midas paid for. It was a small town, and honestly there was no reason to ruin the kid’s life over it, or so that’s how the sheriff saw it. Robin told the blonde to come see him when she graduated if she ever wanted a job as a cop. Emma laughed at him but thanked him.

The school was forced to employ a no-bullying policy, as the students had caused quite the ruckus. And the parents caused an even bigger one, surrounding the administrators in an angry mob outside of town hall concerned for their children’s safety. Public figures bend pretty easy to the wills of upset parents. 

The charges were dropped against Emma, which was amazing. It had a lot to do with the fact that Henry Mills provided her with a top-notch lawyer, and had vouched that he would be sure to keep her in line as she finished out her year. Meaning Emma got to keep her job, and stay in Maine with her friends. Regina had stood next to her Father the whole time, grateful for the man he was. Cora was no where to be seen, and Emma imagined she was plotting her death somewhere.

_“You have a job with us no matter what happens, I can’t afford to loose my best worker.”_

Henry had said that in court that day to Emma once the case was dismissed. She hugged him, and he just squeezed back. 

Of course having the whole ugly situation brought to light made the town aware that the Jones were unfit to keep her.(The police found the couple passed out drunk in their home after they didn’t answer the millions of calls about their foster child). There was also a predicament about whether Emma could stay because there were no other foster families in town willing to take her in. That’s when Eugenia Lucas took control. The old woman had requested to be her guardian, hell even adopt her if that’s what it took to keep her around. Red had winked at her, and Belle had smiled when the old woman took up for the blonde in court surprising everyone, including Emma. The matter was cleared up rather quickly, and that saved some face for Killian’s family. He didn’t seem to hold it against her, and still told her that she had to attend Tuesday night dinner regardless, because it was now a tradition. 

Emma was really lucky. Somehow she got to be the luckiest person in the whole damn universe. 

That’s how she got to this day. Two weeks after the mess was cleared up (as Storybrooke doesn’t have many cases, the whole problem was resolved rather quickly), she was moving out of the Jones, and into the inn. Where Granny had set aside her very own room. Emma had never had her own room, and the best part was it was right next to Ruby’s. 

“Welcome home, sis,” Ruby cheered, throwing her arms around the blonde when she appeared at the door. “Okay, okay,” Emma chocked out, as the brunette was nearly crushing her. Belle was waiting behind Red, and got her own turn at giving the blonde a hug, and a kiss on the cheek that had Ruby eyeing her suspiciously only to shrug. “Can’t blame her,” Red commented picking up one of Emma’s bags carrying it off. 

Mary Margaret appears, with her own bag full of junk food. They’re all having a sleepover tonight in honor of Emma’s arrival. M&M follows Red back to Emma’s new room, and the blonde grabs her other bag from David’s truck that the pixie-haired brunette had borrowed. 

“Hey Emma,” Belle practically whispers, as she takes one of the duffels from the blonde in the doorway. “I never got to thank you, for that day. If you hadn’t shown up I’m not sure what could have happened.” There’s a hitch in the girls’ voice and it looks like she’s holding back tears. The whole mess had gotten the girl out of sorts, as her Dad found out about her and Ruby. It hadn’t been pretty, but they were working things out as Moe had seen his daughter hurt enough for one lifetime. But, it was still taking it’s toll on Belle. “It’s what friends do,” Emma assures smiling at her as she gathers the girl into a hug. Man, she’s never going to get use to be hugged, and giving hugs this often, but this situation really called for it. 

Ruby pokes her head out from down the hall seeing the two in an embrace. “Swan! Stop trying to steal my girl. I don’t care who you beat up, I’ll take you on.” There’s a playful smile on the girl’s face letting the pair know that Red is being her usual silly self. Emma just pulls Belle closer, and the librarian lifts her leg into the blonde’s arm playing along, as they strike a scandalizing pose at the brunette. Then they fall into a fit of laughter as they fumble down the corridor joining the fun, passing Ruby who feigning insult at them. 

It’s not long before Mulan shows up, with her green sunglasses, and a pack of cards. No alcohol though, as Granny doesn’t allow drinking in the house, and they’ve all gotten into enough trouble for, well forever.

“To Swan,” Red cheers, holding up her rootbeer. The rest of the girls hold up their own bottles, clinking the glass together as they take a drink as Emma turns red. “Now, who’s up for some poker?” Mary Margaret challenges holding up the deck. 

This game never ends well for the gang, but it never deters them from playing. Granny came to check on them halfway through, planting a bag of cheeseburgers in the middle of their table and wishing them a fun night. The grandmother was just happy to have Ruby home safe, and she thought they all deserved to blow some steam off. 

“Sure we can’t deal you in?” Emma had asked the woman with a courteous smile grateful for this woman taking her in. The blonde would do anything for the Lucases, even play cards with Granny who is actually a barrel of laughs as far as the blonde’s concerned. “Emma, stop making me look bad,” Ruby had teased, and her Granny rolled her eyes at her before excusing herself back to work. 

By the end of the night their all lounging around on Emma’s new bed, watching a rom-com, and debating their love life’s. Of course Red and Belle are in the honeymoon phase, and Snow is madly in love with David who just may be a real-life Prince Charming. Mulan is single, as ever, but Emma knows she has a crush on Aurora, because she sees her staring at the girl in math class constantly. It’s a bit obvious, but Emma doesn’t push it. That’s when the conversation gets directed at the blonde, who just gawks at them as if they’re dumb. 

“What? I’m as single as a dollar bill,” she huffs, fisting some popcorn in her mouth because she hates being reminded of that. Especially since there’s a certain brunette who could change that, that currently is grounded so Emma hasn’t been able to see her outside of the court proceedings. And then there was Graham, who as far as Emma knew was still dating her. The worse part was Emma liked the guy. He was nice, and she totally got what Regina saw him. The way he just stood up to those guys, and joined them without even really knowing Emma. He was following his girlfriend who he adored, and the blonde just couldn’t bring herself to hate him for that. Because that’s what she wanted for Regina. Someone who made her happy, even if it wasn’t her. They could always be friends. 

“Lies,” Red challenges, eyeing Belle who is giggling herself. Snow is turning a shade of pink, and Mulan just rolls her eyes at them all. 

“What in the hell are you guys talking about?” Emma demands, wondering what is so amusing. 

“They’re talking about Regina,” Mulan informs, and the blonde feels all the color drain from her face. How do they know? 

“We’re friends.” 

“No, no, no,” Ruby rushes out in a teasing manner, “you and I are friends. You and Regina are not friends.” 

Emma is getting defensive, because this can not happen right now. Everyone can’t know this, and Regina has a reputation. She won’t tarnish that and have her labeled as a cheater. Because they’ve done nothing, and the brunette is innocent. “That’s not true.” 

“Emma, it’s okay. It’s obvious that you two like each other,” Mary Margaret says in that soothing motherly voice that she posses. 

The blonde blushes, as she looks away from them ashamed that she can’t keep her emotions hidden well enough. 

“It doesn’t matter, can we please change the subject?” Emma barks, sitting up straighter and pretending like the movie has caught her attention once again. Her friends smile at her, but give in because it’s the blonde’s night and they don’t want to upset her. The little spat is forgotten before long, and they’ve moved on to discussing how the women in these movies are always super annoying. 

That’s when Emma’s phone beeps, and she sees that Kathryn had texted her. 

_Regina says hello. We’re having a Skype date, and she is insisting that I check in on you since she still doesn’t have her phone._

The blonde smiles at the message. Her and Kathryn had been in contact quite a lot over the last week. In a way they’re becoming friends. Emma genuinely likes her, and also likes that she cares about Regina as much as her. 

**_Tell her I’m fine, and not to worry. I start back to work tomorrow._ **

A moment later her phone beeps again, and Red gives her a sly smile but doesn’t say anything. Curse her for being able to read Emma. 

_She literally just squealed. I have never heard that noise come out of her. EVER._

**_You know she’s going to kill you for telling me that, right?_ **

_She can try. Muhaha._

Emma laughs to herself, before putting her phone down. The conversation over as the girl’s are all settling in to actually sleep now. It’s late, and Emma’s eyes are tired. She falls asleep mushed between Snow and Mulan without a care, excited for tomorrow, for life. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------

 

Regina was waiting for Emma. It had been too long, and she was off restriction as of tomorrow, but the blonde would be coming into work today and she could see her. Even if just for a second before she was forced back inside. 

The mane of blonde curls appears earlier than usual, trudging down the path in the jeans and flannel shirt that for some reason is inordinately attractive on her. Regina want to run to her, but she’s never been that girl so she just waits. Sitting on an old race barrel that’s resting outside of the stables, and Emma is beaming at her when she sees her. 

“Hey,” Emma says, smiling at the blonde in a bashful way. 

Regina doesn’t know what to say because there are just so many things to say so she goes with “Hey.” 

Emotions are swirling around Regina’s head it’s hard for her to even stand up straight, and she nearly falls when she hops off her seat. Emma catches her, the blonde’s strong arms taking hold as her reflexes kick in. She promptly helps the brunette stand up, smirking at her. “Watch your step,” Emma teases, placing her hands in her pockets nervously. 

“You should talk.” 

“So, you’re outside,” Emma kids, wondering where on Earth to begin with Regina. But the brunette is still her best friend, and only that so she just acts as if things are the same as ever. 

“My Dad has a way of being kind when he wants to be.” 

Emma laughs, “so I’ve noticed.” The blonde is shifting, obviously anxious over something as she repeatedly kicks at the dirt. “Regina I really don’t think there’s a way I can thank you for everything. You saved my ass, and Snow told me you were the one who led the crusade to get me out.” 

Regina doesn’t say anything, merely smiles at Emma in a satisfied way. It’s all smart-ass, and so perfectly Regina. “I’ve missed that.” Regina blushes, and tries to hide another, more obvious grin creeping across her face. 

“I missed you,” the brunette adds, and boy does it feel like a huge weight got lifted off her shoulders. She’s been dying to say that, to say anything that she’s actually feeling toward the blonde for once. 

“Yeah?” Emma asks in a smug way, and that has Regina slapping her against the shoulder. Because even if she’s glad Emma’s back she’ll never stop giving her a hard time. “I missed you too,” the blonde admits, in a more serious tone as her eyes wander up from the ground to find Regina’s own. 

The brunette equates this to lighting. That’s what it felt like the day she ran into Emma, and those green eyes had found her for the first time. Like a bolt of electricity had come down, shooting through her, and making her feel in a way she never had before. 

“Emma, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Regina begins, somehow finding the strength to broach the subject that she’s been avoiding for months. 

“What?” Emma asks, even though she’s pretty sure she already knows what the brunette is referring to. They’re moving closer together, slowly but steadily it’s happening, and Emma takes her hand and fuck it feels so good to have her close. “Emma, I-“

“Regina!” 

The brunette shuts her eyes, praying that it’s a dream and that she did not hear that. 

“Regina!” is yelled again from across the field, and sure enough when she opens her eyelids Graham is running down the hill toward them. Emma is away from her in a flash, and Regina is seriously about to kill her boyfriend dead. Because this idiot has horrible, horrible timing. 

“What are you doing here?” she shouts, as he comes to a stop in front of them, taking a minute to catch his breath before he answers. “I got in. Hey Emma, good to see you.” He shoots the blonde a smile, and the blonde looks like she hates herself in that moment. 

“Graham, what are you talking about?” Regina barks, her anger showing full, but he’s seen it many times before. 

“To Penn, early admittance. I got in! They’re giving me a scholarship, and a spot on the team. Regina, it’s all set. Our future, the plan, I got in.” Graham is beaming, and Regina feels her own mind split in two as she hears his words. She literally forgot. Forgot that he existed for the past week, and how that did not bother him she’d never know. Regina had been meaning to break up with him, but with everything going on she hadn’t gotten around to it. Being grounded wasn’t helping either. Graham was a nice guy, and they had been dating for four years. She had to at least give him the proper respect and break up with him face-to-face. 

“Congratulations,” Emma offers politely before slipping away and walking back into the stables to actually get to work. Regina watches this, similar to what had happened that day the fight broke out. But, she can’t have a repeat of that day again. 

“Give me a minute,” Regina pleads, leaving a confounded Graham to run after the blonde. 

“Emma,” she calls, but the girl keeps walking even though she knows she can hear her. “Emma, stop,” Regina begs, jumping in front of her. The stablehand looks away, clearly agitated as it’s practically written across her face. 

“Regina, I’ve got to get to work.” 

“Emma, what I was going to say, I wanted to tell you-“

“You should really get back to Graham. That was some pretty big news.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” 

“Yeah it does Regina. He’s your boyfriend.” The word is like poison in her mouth, but Emma forces herself to say it. 

“You’re more important,” Regina says, stepping forward to take both of Emma’s hands in hers. Where she got this newfound gumption to do that, she didn’t know. 

“Regina, you and I are friends. Just friends. It’s fine. I get it. Go.” Those green eyes look into hers and Regina can see that Emma is serious, that she’s made her choice in the matter and it’s final. The brunette feels every bit of hope and happiness leave her body as the blonde breaks from her touch, looking pained as ever as she walks away. Regina makes herself stand there. Makes herself feel everything, as it’s her own fault for all of this. When Regina feels like she can actually walk again after fighting off a potential break down in the middle of a horse barn, she finds Graham waiting for her outside, giddy as ever. 

“There you are,” he cheers, scooping her up into a hug that she neither fights nor returns. “Lets go tell your parents!” 

Regina wants to smack him. But, she doesn’t because such an action would require feeling, and right now the brunette is numb. So, she walks with him up to the house and lets him tell her parents the good news while she watches Emma out of the corner of her eye wishing life wasn’t so complicated. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Why the long face love?” Killian inquired with that oh-so annoyingly perfect voice that Emma now found comforting. Her foster brother was in the middle of slicing the frozen pizza he had made for their weekly Tuesday night dinners and watching her depressed self was starting to be too overwhelming to ignore. 

In his few weeks with Emma, Hook had learned that the girl didn’t like to talk about her emotions much. He figured she had been through enough in life, and never learned how or just didn’t care to. Both he respected, and he never once pushed her. But today, she looked like someone stole her candy.

“It’s nothing,” Emma brushed off, grabbing a slice off the pan and biting in. 

“How does that not burn?” Hook asked, amazed. 

“It does,” the blonde answered simply with a mouthful.

“Swan sometimes talking about it can help.” 

“You never do.” 

Hook swallowed, because his own methods were being used against him. It was true. He never talked about much. That’s part of the reason he and Emma were able to fall into an easy relationship. They were the same person in a lot of ways. 

“You’re right, I don’t. But maybe you can save yourself from becoming a crusty old bloke like me.” 

Emma let out a lengthy puff of air through her nose as she swallowed her pizza. “You’re only twenty,” she reasoned. Hook was far from old, maybe a little crusty but that could easily be fixed with a bath.

“Swan,” he warned with a voice that truly did sound like an older brother. 

“Why did you and Tink not work out?” 

The question threw him off, it definitely hurt him, but he tried his best not to show it. His eyes wandered for a few brief seconds before his pensive stare met Emma’s. He knew that answering may give the blonde the kick in the pants she needed to get off her ass and do something about it. 

“I messed up, and she couldn’t forgive me.” 

“Did you cheat?” 

“No.” 

“Then what could have possible done you guys couldn’t work through? I mean I know you both love each other, I see the way she looks at you.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” 

“Well it should!” Emma declared more forceful than she had intended. Her own emotions coming through on the matter. Love should matter, always. 

“Emma what does this have to do with your problem?” 

“There’s someone..”

“Regina,” Hook supplied as if it was known to the world. 

“How did you-“

“Oh please, you want to talk about longing looks Swan you’ve got the most obvious one.” 

“Seriously, how does everyone know this? Am I that obvious,” Emma huffs, recalling that practically the whole town knew she was harboring feelings for Regina. He narrowed his brow at her in an ‘oh please’ way. “Hook it’ll never work.” 

“Have you tried?” 

“She has a boyfriend.” 

“So does Tink.” 

“What?! No way!” Emma exclaimed forgetting her own baggage for a minute. Her social worker never mentioned that. She never mentioned Killian either. Come to think of it Tink was rather lacking in the personal contributions of their relationship; that needed to be remedied. 

“I’m afraid so love. Plenty of people have relationships before and after the love of their lives walk out on them,” Hook admonished. 

“I don’t cheat,” was Emma’s firm response. She would not be that person. She was not that person. The blonde had made her choice on that. 

“I’m not telling you to.”

“She doesn’t feel the same way,” Emma concluded. How could she? Regina was, well Regina. And Emma was never going to be what the girl needed or deserved. Their relationship was merely complicated as they were such close friends, and that was easy to mistake for something more. But that’s all it was. 

“She does,” Hook proclaimed, a confident smirk on his mug to enforce his words. 

“You can’t know that.” 

“I do,” he assured. “Swan, life’s too short when it comes to matters of the heart, just go for it. What’s the worse that could happen?” 

Emma thinks back to nearly a week ago when Regina had followed her into the barn. She saw it that day, in the brunette’s eyes. Regina felt the same way she did, and she was going to act on it. The only problem was Graham, who was waiting out there. Regina hadn’t broken up with him, hadn’t even bothered to talk about why she was even with him. Yet, she couldn’t shake the look on Regina’s face when she walked away. It was as if she crushed her spirit. Emma just couldn’t let Regina say it out loud, because then everything would change. 

But that’s exactly what Emma wanted, for things to change. This was slow torture, and honestly it was burning inside of her to tell Regina how she felt. If anything because they were friends and it was wrong to hold back her feelings. Regina had a right to know didn’t she? This was all so stupid. Maybe Hook was right, maybe Emma was just making it harder on herself. 

“I will if you will,” Emma bargained. 

“It’s not the same.” 

“Bullshit. It’s exactly the same thing.” 

Killian thought about it. While his chances with Tina were significantly diminished he would forever love her. And he knew in his heart that in some way she would always love him. Perhaps that was enough. It was hypocritical to advise Emma to put her heart on the line when he couldn’t bother to do the same. 

“Tell you what love, if you tell Regina how you feel about her, I’ll tell Tink that I’m still in love with her,” he wagered. 

“Deal,” Emma agreed forcefully. Hook stuck out his palm to shake. Emma met him in the middle with a firm grip that almost made him wince. Killian then started fumbling through some cabinets in search of something. Emma watched him fascinated half expecting the man to pull out a book of love sonnets or something. Only to find he had something much better, liquid courage. 

“Let the games begin,” Hook cheered as he took out a bottle of rum from under his kitchen sink. 

“I knew I liked you as a big bro.” 

 

\-------------------------------------

 

Sleep was evading her; as it had been all week, since Emma. Regina had been lying bed for nearly two hours when she just decided to start doing some work. She pulled out her calculus book and started running through next week’s chapter. 

It was nearly midnight when a rock hit the window pane next to her desk, causing her to nearly fall out of her chair. The second pebble ricocheted off the glass and hit the rain gutter making a seriously annoying noise. The third hit her square in the face after she opened the window to see who was bringing this cliché to life. If Graham thought he was being cute she was going to kill him. 

“Emma?” 

“Regina!” The blonde was beaming, and very, very drunk. 

“Great,” Regina mumbled under her breath. She was only praying that her parents could not hear them right now. “Stay there I’m coming down.” 

The brunette grabbed her robe and slippers heading for the stairs. She was very grateful to the architect right now who put her parents suite on the other side of the mansion. Emma was stumbling about waiting for her when the brunette finally made it to the front door. What was their house so large?

“You’re drunk,” Regina accused grabbing the girl by her forearm and dragging her off the front porch, away from the ears of the staff.

“Yes, but that’s not why I’m here,” Emma slurred as she attempted to stand up-right only to fall against the bush outlining the path to the house. 

“Then please tell me why you are,” Regina mocked. Her patience was wearing thin, and the possibility of her parents catching them was only fueling her anxiety of the matter. 

“Because I had to tell you something, and that I am sorry.” The blonde tried to get serious, but the rum was making her head spin more than she counted for. Regina caught her before she actually fell on the ground this time.

“Emma I need you to stay completely silent for the next ten minutes. Can you do that?” Regina barked as she threw the inebriated girl’s arm over her shoulder so that she could hoist her up and drag her in through the front door. They weren’t going to get anywhere in the front yard, and it would be easier to hide the blonde inside. 

Emma nodded, which caused her head to drop, lurching them forward some. 

“Fuck,” the brunette cursed under her breath as she pulled Emma threw her front door toward the kitchen. The back stairs were there and if she could get the blonde up them, there was a good chance her parents would have no idea. 

“You smell like apples and cinnamon,” the blonde whispered into her ear she navigated them around the giant kitchen island. It made the hairs on the back of Regina’s neck stand up. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Regina sighed out thoroughly amused with the blonde now. Emma was giggling, and she had about two minutes to stash her in her bedroom before they were busted. It was not the time to bring up what her hair smelled like, and why the hell did that matter to Emma? She made her feelings quite clear. 

Surprisingly, the blonde seemed to get with the program once they hit the stairs, because Regina didn’t have to lug her the whole way up them. But once the girls got in the hallway of the second floor the blonde broke away from her looking like she was going to puke. 

“No, no, no ,no ” the brunette chanted hoping to God Emma would not throw-up in the middle of the corridor, because there was no way to hide that. A light came on at the end of the hallway and Regina felt her stomach hit the floor. 

“Get in here,” the brunette hissed jumping into the closet, dragging the blonde with her by the collar. Regina smacked her hand over the Emma’s mouth once they were crammed into the smallest broom cupboard known to man. Emma’s eyes got real wide, but she got the message not to speak. Or maybe she was stunned into silence because they were pressed so close together. Whatever the reason the drunk stopped gurgling.

Regina recognized her Father’s footsteps, but from the sound of them he was just in search of a midnight snack, not the bumbling, unwanted houseguest who was currently licking her palm. “That’s gross!” Regina chided wiping her hand against her robe. 

“I told you, I have to tell you something Regina,” Emma whispered. Well, more like yelled, but she was trying to whisper in her drunken state. 

The brunette grabbed the girl by the collar and brought their faces so close together they were almost touching noses. “Listen Swan, if you don’t shut-up for the next two minutes we will never be allowed to speak again, so whatever it is you have to tell me can wait!” she snapped. Emma just nodded obediently as if Regina’s command was law.

Or maybe it was just the death glare. 

Whatever it was, the blonde kept quiet as the heiress led them out of the closet and to her bedroom. “Shit, I am so sorry,” fell off of Emma’s tongue so fast Regina barely had time to close the door.

“A lot of good that does us now,” Regina commented, throwing her head back against the barrier and taking a second to breathe. Emma did not seem to grasp how lucky they were to have made it out alive. If Cora had caught them…no. 

“I’ll go. This was so stupid. I can’t believe I did this.” Emma went for the door that Regina was currently blocking and the brunette smacked her hand away. 

“Are you crazy? My father’s down there. And you’re not exactly on good terms with my Mother. You’re stuck here for the night,” Regina scolded. There was just no way she could handle getting the girl back outside. Plus she was drunk, and there was no way she could make it home safe. That Regina couldn’t have, ever. No matter how much Emma hurt her. 

“I’m such a moron,” Emma mewled as she ran her hands through her blonde locks completely frustrated with herself. 

“Are you crying?” Regina barked. 

“No!” a weepy voice answered. 

“Seriously Swan?” Regina thought if she kept referring to her by her last name, maybe it wouldn’t sting so much to have the blonde around. 

“I’m not crying,” Emma defended turning away from the brunette to wipe a tear out of her eye. She had always been an emotional drunk. She managed to pull herself together this time, as she turned to face the brunette. But, Emma spun too quickly for her fragile brain, and felt the room slip from her vision. 

“Get on the bed,” Regina commanded guiding the blonde to the mattress before she hit the floor. The brunette shoved the girl onto the mattress, and bent down to take off her boots, because she was not going to let her get mud all through her Egyptian cotton sheets. 

“No, not the bed. I can just lay on the floor,” Emma reasoned as she tried to fight the brunette. All it took was one push from the Latina before Emma’s drunk ass fell back onto the bed. There was no way she was moving now. 

It was reasonably funny to see Emma in an intoxicated state sprawled out on her mattress. It kind of resembles the first time they met when the blonde had been stretched out across the road after she hit her with the car. It was funny to think that accident started this whole relationship. The brunette felt drawn to the girl ever since, and now was no different.

“Just try and rest,” Regina soothed brushing the hair out of the blonde’s face. 

“Why are you so nice to me?” Emma asked, through closed eyelids. 

“What are you rambling about now?” A playful grin wondered. 

Emma grabbed the hand that was stroking her face; lacing their fingers together as she opened her eyes to look up at the brunette. “Regina you’re not nice to a lot of people, but you are to me. Why?” 

That was a loaded question. 

The pull of Emma’s warm hand was enough to have the butterflies erupting in her stomach again. Regina avoided Emma’s gaze knowing that she’d be screwed if she actually looked the blonde in the eyes. 

“Because I like you Emma.” 

The blonde let out a lengthy breath as her eyes started to fail their battle with sleep. “I like you too,” Emma whispered as she drifted off unconscious. 

_Great. Just fucking great._ She now had the bane of her existence passed out, drunk in her bed and there was nothing she could do about it. This was turning out to be some kind of weird night. 

First, she can’t sleep because she kept wishing the blonde girl was here, and now that Emma is here, she can’t sleep. It was a vicious cycle. 

Regina just decided to hell with it. She laid back on her bed next to the blonde making sure to never let go of her hand. “You know I thought I was a pain in the ass,” the brunette said to a the stablegirl. Within minutes she was sleeping like a baby.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

At 6 in the morning Emma’s alarm started blaring from her jean pocket. The blonde stirred reaching for the device, only to find that her hand was tangled with someone else’s. 

Regina. 

Emma had a slight heart attack. 

She lifted her head up enough to get a look around, as the brunette was snoring on her shoulder currently and she didn’t want to wake her up. What happened?

They were definitely in the girl’s room, because Emma knew for certain they weren’t in hers. As she did not have purple wallpaper or horse-shaped trophies in hers that she recognized from her past visits to the girl’s room. How the fuck did I get here?

Emma realized her alarm was still going off, and she reached into her pocket with her free hand to turn it off. That woke the brunette up, not the obnoxious ringtone going off for a solid minute, no the silence disturbed Regina. Figures. No matter how many time she saw Regina, Emma was convinced that she wasn’t real. A girl like her couldn’t be, because she was too damn beautiful to not be a dream. 

But when she saw Regina wake-up, well she was positive that she was from another world. Regina’s chocolate eyes fluttered open and stole the very breath from her lungs. The girl was a different kind of beautiful. That was a hell of a way to wake up in the morning. She could get use to it.

“Hey,” Emma said, mentally smacking herself for being such a dork. 

“Morning,” the brunette grumbled burrowing further into the blonde’s shoulder. 

“You can’t hide from the day,” the blonde teased. 

The brunette lifted her head, lazy grin on her face, messy hair, and a raised eyebrow that always made Emma laugh; she was perfect. “Says the girl who’s been hiding out in my room all night,” Regina challenged. 

“Touché,” she surrendered easily, grinning. 

“What time is it?” Regina asked. 

“Six.” 

“As in AM? It’s too early,” the brunette whined disappearing under the covers again. It fucking sucked that Regina was adorable in the morning, because it just added to the list of things that made the girl amazing. A list that at this point felt like punishment to Emma because she’d never have her. 

“Some of us have work,” the blonde mocked. 

Without warning the brunette wiggled under the covers, reaching into Emma’s pocket, and simultaneously giving her another heart attack because her hand was about 10 inches from her…well. Regina poked her head out from the blankets squinting at the screen. Her fingers started tapping across the glass, and then she was putting the phone against her ear. 

“Who are you calling?” Emma asked, more than amused. 

“David,” Regina greeted, giving the blonde her answer. Emma panicked, sitting up in the bed trying to reach for the phone. Regina smacked her palm against her face, stopping her dead in her tracks. 

“Yes, it’s Regina calling from Emma’s phone. I’m afraid she will be unable to come in for her shift this morning.” 

The blonde sat, horrified as the words came out of the girl’s mouth. David was going to have her ass, or worse. This program was not something she was allowed to just skip out on. One bad remark, and her ass was back in juvie after the fiasco a few weeks ago. 

“Yes, I’ll be sure to tell her you said so. Thank you for being so understanding. Have a good day.” The smug brunette handed the mobile back over the blonde who was gaping at her. 

“What?” Regina asked innocently. 

“Oh as if. What was that? I can’t just take off because my boss’ daughter calls in sick for me.” 

“I think you just did,” the brunette teased.

“Regina-“ Emma whined. 

“It’s fine. I’ll handle it. My Father is the one who takes care of your check-ups with the state anyway. Besides, you had something you had to tell me?” the brunette mocked, eyes sparkling with entertainment. 

“Nothing, I had nothing to tell you.” 

“Not going to work. I risked my ass to sneak you up here, and got you off of work. You owe me.” 

“I was drunk Regina. I don’t even remember,” Emma tried. Judging from the pointed glare the brunette was giving her, she wasn’t buying it. 

“How did you even get here?” the brunette finally asked, realizing Emma had just kind of showed up in the middle of the night.

“Hook dropped me off,” Emma revealed. Regina rolled her eyes, as Emma’s jack-ass of a foster brother was not her favorite person in the world. “I asked him to.” 

That made up for bringing up Hook apparently. “Why?” 

Regina was not going to let this go. A part of Emma really just wanted to confess everything to the girl so she could stop carrying all of this around. Another part was screaming at her to shut her fat face before she fucked everything up. 

“I came over here…because….because-“

 

_Knock. Knock._

“Regina are you coming down for breakfast,” Cora Mill’s voice rang from the other side of the door. Emma froze and Regina mirrored someone who had just found out Russia was invading. 

“I’ll be right there Mother,” Regina called as she jumped off the bed throwing Emma’s boots at her. “You have to go,” she ordered as the brunette frantically opened the window. The blonde stared at her disbelieving. 

The blonde was shuffling off the bed as she pulled her right boot on. She was hoping about the room like a bunny trying to get the left when she screeched,” out the window? We’re on the second floor!” 

“Would you like to be sent back to prison? Because Cora will burn you at the stake if she finds you up here,” Regina hissed, as she gestured for the blonde to join her at the porthole to the outside world. 

“Window’s good,” Emma agreed, pulling on her jacket as she stepped up onto the desk and stuck half of her body outside. Suddenly she stopped dead, looking to Regina. “Are we good? You know, us? Like things back to normal us?” 

Regina let out a sigh, because there was just no chance she could stay angry with Emma forever. They were best friends, and even if she loved her, having her around in some way was better than not at all. “Yes Emma, we’re good. Now get out of here, you idiot!” 

“See you around.” The blonde winked at the brunette who nearly swooned at the gesture as Emma disappeared out of her room and onto the roof. She watched the blonde shuffle down the drain pipe before she took off for the road, safe. 

If she hadn’t known better she would have thought Emma had experience with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.) What do you think is going to happen next? 
> 
> 2.) Should I get a tumblr?  
> 2B.) If I do, will someone please explain to me how it works, because I have never understood it.


	7. Sleepover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Same as always
> 
> Warning: Affairs are mentioned in here, so if that bothers you a friendly heads up. 
> 
> I got a tumblr! Feel free to follow me, or ask me questions, or whatever: TheRegalist
> 
> Thank you guys for being awesome, for reading, and giving feedback. Love all of you!!

Time passes faster for some than others. 

Late summer turns to fall, as the crimson tide washes over the trees coloring them in shades of red, yellow, and orange. There’s a chill to the air that hadn’t been there before, foreshadowing that winter will be there soon enough. Daylight becomes shorter, slowly, and there’s a distinct change in the colors of the sky as the seasons mesh together until one engulfs the other completely. Before Emma knows it’s November. 

“How’s my favorite miscreant?” 

“Just fine, and yourself?” Emma replies with a smug smile as she sips from her cocoa with a sprinkle of cinnamon. She got it to go in the morning before she left home, and was enjoying it while they strolled around the farm. It was still a bit unbelievable that she had a loving home, where a woman who had deemed herself Emma’s makeshift Grandmother made her hot chocolate especially for her. 

“These meetings are suppose to be about you, not me,” Tink chides lightly, but smiles nonetheless as she takes a sip from the coffee Emma got her. Because she likes Emma as a friend more than a client, but she can’t blur the lines too much. Even though she’s pretty sure Emma is being taken care of better than she ever has in her life. Regardless, she has to be sure, it is her job. 

“Blah, blah. Tinker, I think we both know that I’m fine. However, you forget I have dinner with my foster brother every week, and well he is most definitely not fine.” Emma dips her head forward a bit, her gaze narrowing at the blonde who’s cheeks are turning a bit red. 

“Emma..” Tina says as a warning, because they’re really not suppose to be going toward these types of topics right now. 

“Okay, how about we finish the official social worker stuff, and then we talk about the friend stuff?” 

“How about you just do as I say,” Tink wagers, and Emma glares at her. “Yeah, didn’t think I’d get anywhere with that, but I had to try.” 

They look at each other and then both start giggling a bit. 

“But, actually getting back to business. Everything’s okay? I need you to be honest with me, which you weren’t before need I remind you.” 

She’s talking about the Jones. Tink and her had to have a very uncomfortable conversation about her ex-boyfriend’s parents, who the girl was rather close with at one point, when all that crap went down weeks ago. The blonde had felt awful once she found out what was happening (after she visited the home and saw). Apparently Hook had been keeping that part a secret from her, for reasons he would not divulge to Emma. Tink explained that she would have never placed her with them if she had known, and Emma couldn’t really hold it against her. Sometimes people have an image of who others are, and that can be hard to break. After Tinker apologized nearly a thousand times, Emma told her to forget about it or she would request a different case worker. That shut her up about herself, but it didn’t stop her from reprimanding Emma for not giving her accurate check-ins. She got the picture, no more lying to Tink. 

“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry? You know how it is, it was like my first day here.” 

“Yeah, well that was a serious disaster that almost cost me my job. So, lets not have a repeat of that.” 

Emma sighs, but stops walking, leaning against one of the fence posts. Tink joins her, as they take in the rather beautiful scenery, even if they can see their breathes because it’s so freaking cold. 

“Never, I promise. Seriously Tink, everything is fine. Better than ever. No problems, you know Granny she is the best and keeps me in line. School’s fine, I’m passing and I have a tutor for what I struggle in. I love the work I’m doing here, and mostly I’m just trying to enjoy my life for once. Not much more to it. I feel like an actual teenager for once.” 

Tink shakes her head in amazement, as she turns to Emma smiling like a the proud den mother she is. “You’re amazing Emma.” 

The blonde lets out a weird noise of disbelief, giving Tink a rather squirrely look as if to say she doesn’t buy what she’s selling. 

“What? You are. Come on, in my two years of doing this job you’re the first success case I’ve had.” 

“Tink, it’s been like 3 months. Don’t jinx me, because let me tell you about how many times things have gotten better for me and I’ve gone and fucked it up.” 

The blonde plants her foot on one of the horizontal beams, leaning a bit more as if she’s contemplating what to say next. “Is it different this time?” Her voice is more serious, and Emma knows that this is her friend Tink talking, not the social worker. 

Emma sucks her bottom lip in her mouth as she turns away from the blonde and to the large meadow they’re facing. The sun’s been in the sky for a few hours, and there’s a lovely glow of golden rays bouncing about the air. The grass has a layer of frost on it that reflects the sunlight, and it’s one of the most lovely things Emma has ever been gifted with seeing. Working at the Mills’ has definitely made her realize just how wondrous nature can be. 

“Yeah, it is,” Emma admits, hanging her head a bit. It’s a daunting thing to come to terms with. Life is truly getting better, and it’s scary because she’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. For life to hate her once again. 

The social worker places a comforting hand on the blonde’s shoulder, giving it a bit of a love squeeze. Emma turns to look at her again, and Tina has a rather quaint smile on her face. “That’s a good thing.” 

“Sure.” 

“Emma, really it is. Storybrooke agrees with you. The difference between you now and when you first showed up here is momentous. Just keep working at it.” 

“I’m gonna Tink.” Emma knows that she means that. 

They start walking again, and Emma points out Buddy, a horse that has become her best friend. As he and her tend to have the same inklings about people. Mostly because Bud hates Graham, and loves Regina. While Emma can’t bring herself to hate the guy fully, she definitely laughs under her breath when Buddy bites him while he’s standing in the stable and gives the little troublemaker an apple in appreciation for doing what she can’t. 

“Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you and Killian?” 

Tink just lets out a huff of air, because she really dislikes when Emma brings this up. But, no one will tell the blonde whatever happened between them. It’s like this giant secret that everyone knows, and nobody talks about. Not even Mary Margaret. 

“Emma it’s ancient history. And it’s irrelevant because me and Hook are just friends, barely that.” 

“Doesn’t that just blow though?” Emma is speaking from personal experience here. Tink eyes her a bit, as if she knows what the blonde is referring to, but doesn’t mention it. Emma is fond of Tink’s ability to read situations and know when to push Emma and when to back off. 

“Sometimes, but it’s for the best. I have to tell myself that all the time. I did when I broke things off, and I just have ever since.” 

“Wait, you broke up with him?” 

Tink just shakes her head again, “Yes.” 

“See I always thought he cheated or something else horrible. He acts like it’s fault.” 

“Contrary to what he likes to believe about himself and how he dresses Hook is a good guy.” 

“How did you date a man who wore leather pants?” 

Tink lets out a bark of laughter, that whines down into a throaty sound of self-hatred. “I have no idea. I think I was too distracted by his face to care.” 

“He is seriously attractive. Like it’s a bit scary and offensive how gorgeous he is, and I don’t say that about many people.” 

“Yeah, he is! It’s really annoying, and very hard to stay mad at him when he starts being all charming.” Tink’s face is getting all lit up talking about him, her eyes are dancing, and Emma can feel the happiness radiating from the woman because of her recanting what had to be a rather hot and heavy relationship. This is what she doesn’t understand. She’s so clearly in love with him and Hook is like a lovesick puppy, why are they not together?

“Charming? More like cocky. I yell at him for that all the time,” Emma adds with an eye-roll.

“Good, he needs it. You know you’re good for him.” 

“Yeah, I know. He’s good for me too though.” 

“You both needed a sibling, and it looks like you found each other.” 

“Well, lets see how we feel about each other this time next year.” 

“Emma, when that man loves, he loves. Whatever form.” 

The blonde smirks, because she kind of did notice that about Hook. He’s rather loyal, and he seems to be the type of guy who doesn’t let things go, ever. Emma sees Regina make an appearance, coming out of the stables atop Armies, her own horse. The blonde stares for a moment, because Regina looked over at her, and their eyes locked like they tend to do, for a few seconds before she goes the other direction for her usual weekend morning ride. 

“You ever going to tell me about that?” Tink asks, pointing between her and Regina. “Because it would be nice to know before I get bombarded by Cora Mills about it.” 

“S’ nothing. We’re friends. Plain and simple.” 

“Emma do you believe me when I tell you Hook and I are just friends?”

The blonde grunts in frustration, but answers truthfully. “No.” 

“What makes you think I believe you then?” she says, raising an eyebrow in question. Emma laughs because she’s got her there even if it’s not fair. 

“Are we done here? Because I have to get back to work,” Emma says, changing the subject to distract the blonde shamelessly. Tink knows exactly what she’s doing, but the woman doesn’t call her on it thankfully.

“Sure. For now,” the social worker says in a fake threatening voice as they start back for the driveway. Emma drops her friend off at the break between the fields and the house waving as she starts up the path. 

“See you Tink,” she calls as the blonde goes her own way.

“Bye, Emma.” 

 

\------------------------------------------------------

 

“Emma?” a slightly fragile voice says, and the blonde looks up from her textbook to find Belle French smiling at her. The blonde returns it with a grin of her own. 

“What are you doing here?” the girl inquires, settling down in the chair next to the blonde, placing the pile of books she had been carrying on the table. 

“Studying,” Emma informs. It’s lunch, and the blonde always hides away in the library then, even if Regina doesn’t join her. Most of the time she does work, and sometimes she goofs off with the brunette. Today Regina’s not coming though, so she’s trying to get homework done before her busy night. Regina’s coming over for a sleepover; their first one since they’ve been friends. The brunette’s idea oddly enough.

“I didn’t know you hung out here,” Belle informs as if it’s her business to know. Emma tilts her head curiously at her friend, “how would you?” 

Belle chuckles to herself, “Because I know all that happens in the library.” The rather silly face the bookworm gives her has Emma giggling herself. Storybrooke High’s research facility is rather lavish, and large, it would be really easy to miss somebody. That’s why Emma loves it, plenty of hiding places where no one can find you.  
When she was a kid public libraries were an easy place to stay out of trouble and keep warm for the day. Emma fell in love with them. The grand, unique, wooden cases, the smell, the absolute wonder that was falling in love with a story. Many a days in her childhood were spent curled up in an armchair or simply laying on the floor reading page after page. She never did get around to getting an actual library card, as you need an adult to do that stuff. Ever since then libraries held a special place in the blonde’s heart, and were often regarded as a safe haven for her. 

“How are you Belle?” Emma asks sincerely, aware that her friend had been struggling with life recently. Ruby was there to kiss it better, but sometimes it was hard to confess all of your troubles to your special someone, especially when one of them was the person itself.

The fair-haired girl let out a sigh letting her eyes fall down to her feet as she twiddled her fingers together. “I’m alright.” 

Emma narrowed her green eyes at the girl, giving her a smirk. “Really?” she implored more. Belle glanced back up at her friend to see that there was nothing but absolute concern for her. A rather nice feeling to have.

“No.” 

“Your Dad?” Emma guesses. Moe French did not take well to the news that his daughter was engaging in a same-sex relationship. While he was just happy to have Belle safe at the time, Emma knew that the flower shop owner’s relief had faded into a rather nasty commentary about Ruby and hers ‘disgusting’ relationship. Or so that’s how he put it. Emma thought the two were ridiculously cute together. 

“He’s just so ignorant. I don’t understand why he can’t see how much I love her.” As soon as she says it, Belle clasps her hands over her mouth in complete alarm letting out a squeal of surprise. Her cheeks burn red, eye’s blow wide, and Emma just starts grinning from ear to ear in a rather goofy manner. 

“Love?” the blonde repeats. Belle lowers her hands from her face, her expression telling Emma what she needs to know. “You haven’t told her yet, huh?” the blonde ventures. 

Her heart goes out to the girl. Emma can relate; well she can understand harboring secrets from someone you care about. Love, love was a whole different planet of problems that she would never be dealing with; in love, that is. Figuring out that you loved someone would probably drive Emma mad, and that explained Belle’s recent funk. 

“No. I don’t know how,” she admits, a bit saddened by it. “And what if she doesn’t love me back? It sounds silly I know, but“..

“The fear of being rejected scares us all,” Emma supplies, because she knows the struggle too well. The blonde was rejected from everywhere and everybody, tossed around her whole life like a mistake no one cared to correct. It stung, and it scared Emma enough to never want to experience love in any form; until Storybrooke. 

“We’re so young, and we’ve only been dating for a few months. I feel like a lovesick puppy, and I’ve never been one of the girls you know?” Seeing Belle so distraught is rather jarring, as her friend is usually the epitome of happiness in life. Emma wants to help, she just doesn’t know how to. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be bothering you with this, I’ll let you get back to studying,” Belle rushes out, getting up to leave. Emma grabs her hand, tugging her back as she herself stands to meet her friend. 

“Belle, tell her.” The blonde’s grip on Belle’s hand only tightens as she directs her gaze to her friend hoping to let her know how serious she is. Belle steps forward, pulled in by Emma’s rather gorgeous eyes that are fiercely determined at the moment. 

“How can you be so sure?” Skepticism laces the girl’s voice but her eyes are wandering Emma’s for an answer, but all she can see is pain hiding behind the blonde’s own. It stings her heart to see, but it’s then Belle understands that her friend is trying to open up to her.

“Because I know what it’s like to not be able to tell someone how you feel, and how miserable that is. But you’re actually dating Ruby, and even if she doesn’t love you back you should tell her because you can tell her. Would you want to live the rest of your life wondering what would have been if you did?” 

Belle gazes at her pointedly for minute, before letting a smile come over her lips. She squeezes Emma’s hand a bit that still conjoined with her own. “When did you get so smart?” 

“It just comes naturally to me,” Emma says with some flair that has her friend bursting with laughter. 

Only to be interrupted by someone clearing their throat, loudly. Expecting a librarian to be scolding them for talking, the duo is stunned when they turn to see that Regina is standing in front of them, her eyes focused on their hands, and a rather pissed off look overwhelming her features. The brunette raises an eyebrow in that way that she does, “Am I interrupting something?” 

Emma feels the need to release Belle’s hand but she doesn’t. She doesn’t because that would insinuate that they’re doing something wrong, but they’re not. Because it’s friendly affection and Regina does not get to dictate who she can show that to. She has no right, just as Emma has no right to tell her when she can and cannot hug Graham; like when she’s being arrested, for instance. 

“We were just saying our goodbyes,” Belle declares, smiling back at her friend in a rather coy way, letting Emma know she’s not ignorant to what’s happening. For fun, Belle goes in for a hug, and then places a rather sweet kiss on Emma’s cheek before setting off. Emma can’t help but smirk at her friend as she walks away, and the blonde finds that she respects Belle more than ever. She’s a little minx.

“Some goodbye,” Regina mutters under her breath as Belle leaves them alone. Emma ignores her. 

“I thought you weren’t coming? Something about a student government meeting?” Emma’s playing dumb, and it’s only pissing Regina off more, which she’s enjoying. It’s cruel, but it’s the brunette’s own fault for not having a claim to her. 

“I cut it short so I could meet with you before tonight,” Regina confesses, hoping to make the blonde feel guilty. It doesn’t work, Emma knows what she’s doing. “You’re going to get sick of me,” the blonde teases, amused by the rather jealous look on Regina’s face. She’s still sulking, and Emma can’t help but be tickled by it.  
Before Regina can say anything else the bell rings, ending lunch. Emma reaches down and takes Regina’s books in her arms, nodding with her head toward the door. The brunette hates when Emma carries her books, a habit she developed when she walks Regina to class occasionally. For some reason the brunette takes it as an insult to her ability to function, and Emma loves that it annoys Regina. This time the brunette doesn’t protest, because it makes her feel closer to the blonde. Like she’s asserting her position as Regina’s best friend when she does it. 

They walk to class together in silence. A few waves at some familiar faces, but otherwise nothing. Regina of course, is strutting down the hall as if she owns the place, despite her current sour disposition at the blonde. Emma is just complacent to just let her suffer a bit, it’s only fair so she knows what it feels like. 

“See you tonight,” the blonde whispers in the brunette’s ear as she leaves Regina at her class’ door, handing over her reading materials for the next few periods. Only her friend doesn’t answer her, and Emma turns around without inquiring as to why, because she already knows. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

“Regina Mills? In my house, still can’t believe it,” Ruby sputters as if they world itself is ending.

“It’s a sleepover. We have them all the time,” Emma reasons, because it’s the same as their usual Saturday night affair with the gang: Mary Margaret, Mulan, Belle, and now Aurora is making appearances. That’s what teenage girls do with their friends, right? Granny had said yes when she asked, and acted like it was totally normal.

“Not with Regina,” Red rebuttals. The waitress is watching as Emma makes her bed, lounging about in one of the chairs Granny provided her room with. 

It’s got elephants on it, and Emma loves it. She loves her room in general, because it’s hers, but as far as bedrooms go it’s pretty nice. She has her own bathroom, which is amazing. There’s a queen sized bed, a few chairs, a desk, a dresser, and a TV. It’s similar to one of the rooms they rent out. The walls are a calm yellow, and there are white curtains, and a white bedspread to match. Not the color scheme Emma would have chosen, but it’s rather homey. 

“She’s my friend, be nice,” Emma instructs firmly, sick of this petty war between Mary Margaret and Regina that’s making her feel as if she has to choose sides. Ruby’s made her stance quite clear regardless.

“I am nice to her, she’s not to everybody else. Except to her friends, and you, which is weird might I add.” 

“It’s not weird, she’s just selective. I don’t know, no one understand Regina, and it doesn’t matter,” Emma grumbles, wishing this would end. She’s already nervous enough, she’s been cleaning her room for the past two days since they decided to do it at Emma’s. Cora still hates her, and while Regina had assured her it’d be fine, she thought her place would decrease her chances of having her throat slit in the middle of the night tremendously. She doesn’t need her foster sister on her back to make it even worse. Her and Red were becoming more like real sisters every day. 

Emma still needs to shower, as she had to work after school like always. David had let her swap her usual Sunday off for Saturday, so that she didn’t have to get up early tomorrow which was nice. She was going to have some solid, quality friend time with Regina, and it was making her stomach churn with anxiety and excitement. 

“Whatever dude. She’s in love with you Emma, it’s so fucking obvious. Like a meteor crashing to Earth. Like a billion-” The blonde says to hell with a nice bed, and picks up one of her pillows to hurl it at her friend. It smacks Red in the face ceasing her dramatic overplay of Emma and Regina’s relationship. 

“Shut-up, jerkface. We’re friends.” 

That’s becoming Emma’s catchphrase lately. 

“Suit yourself. But do let me know if you get anywhere with her would cha,” Red practically orders as she stands from her sitting position, making her way toward the door. 

“Still going out with Belle tonight?” Emma asks, trying to sound indifferent when she’s really wondering if Belle will come clean with Red tonight about her feelings. The blonde hopes Belle can get the courage to do it, that way one of them won’t be a coward forever. 

“Yeah, we’re hitting the movies up. Don’t worry, we won’t bug your date.” 

Ruby’s out the door with a snicker so fast that Emma can’t hurl anything at her rather obnoxious friend. She settles on taking a shower instead. Emma shoots Regina a text letting her know that’s she’s grabbing a shower, and to just come in if she’s still in the bathroom when she arrives. 

The hot water helps clear her mind of all the anticipation, and she nearly forgets she’s expecting company. Until she walks out of the bathroom in nothing but her underwear, and a tank-top to find Regina sitting on her bed. Emma is just toweling off her hair, and the brunette is taken so off guard. Regina blinks rather rapidly as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing. Her eyes drift down taking in Emma’s wet form. The blonde’s tone legs are exposed, there’s a glistening sheen to her skin from the water that’s rather alluring, and Emma’s scent wafting through the room; a reminder of how much Regina loves the way she smells.

And her hair, it’s wet, blonde, straight, and is messily tossed over Emma’s head, it’s fucking hot. Regina’s pupils dilate, her eyes become hooded, and she feels arousal course through her. Her cheeks blush at the thought, and she turns her face away from Emma in an attempt to break herself of the spell the blonde’s put her under. 

Emma’s not a shy one though, “oh hey, didn’t hear you come in,” she says nonchalantly as she tosses the towel into her bathroom. Regina’s a bit stunned that Emma’s not bothered at all by this, as she makes no rush to cover herself. Then again Regina wouldn’t feel the need either if she had a body like that. “Sorry, give me a second to find my damn pants,” the blonde grunts, as she runs her finger through her wet hair slicking it back a bit. The little tick of Emma’s is hot, and Regina finds herself wanting to run her fingers through the blonde mane every time Emma does it. 

“Gotcha!” Emma cheers, spotting her jeans on the very chair Red had been sitting on. The blonde slips into them easily, buttoning the denim as she turns to properly greet Regina. 

The brunette is lying back on Emma’s bed, her head turned away from her. She looks fucking adorable. The blonde’s never seen her friend dressed like this. Regina has on a pair of black Adidas track pants that are skin-tight, an oversized t-shirt that resembles one of her own, hipster glasses (who knew?), and her hair is messily pulled back in a clip. There are wisps of hair falling around Regina’s face, that does not have a trace of makeup on it surprisingly. She looks like a child, like an regular teenager having a lazy day, and Emma has never found her more attractive. 

“You look cute,” Emma admits, and that has Regina turning rather quickly around to glare at her as if it were an insult. 

“What?” the blonde cracks confused by her reaction. “I meant it, you look freaking adorable right now Regina.” 

The brunette smirks inexplicably happy that Emma just said that, “not usually a word people use when describing me.” 

“Probably because you don’t ever dress this relaxed,” Emma says, gesturing to Regina’s ensemble. In actuality she kind of flaps at the girl’s entire body with her hand weirdly and they both break out into a laugh. Emma joins the brunette on the bed, Regina scooting up to sit crossed-legged facing Emma as the blonde leans back against the headboard. 

“Well, with my family having to set an example in this town I don’t exactly get the luxury of wearing sweatpants to school,” Regina snarks playfully. 

“Shame, this town’s missing out. I bet your ass looks great in them too,” the blonde says, and then remembers that was suppose to stay in her head, not said to Regina. 

“Excuse me?” Regina quirks an eyebrow in response, but she doesn’t appear mad. No, the brunette is almost blushing, and she’s intrigued by the blonde’s sudden blatant compliment. 

“I’m a moron, sorry.” Emma face palms herself, needing a minute away from Regina’s coffee brown eyes staring back at her. She’s going to have to deal with them all night. It’s been a total of ten minutes and already she’s about to break. “Can we pretend I didn’t say that?” 

“Only if we can forget I acted in the library too.” 

Emma’s head slowly rises up so that Regina’s in her line of sight once again. The brunette gives her a half-smile, expressing her understanding of errors such as these that keep happening between them. 

“Deal.” They nod in unison at their agreement. 

Emma’s phone beeps. She’s grateful for the texting gods sending her a reprieve, as an awkward silence had filled the room in replacement of their inappropriate flirting. The noise breaks it. Emma glances down to see it’s from Kathryn. 

**You + Regina + Tonight = Bowchicabowwow**

“You text Kathryn?” Regina wonders aloud, a bit baffled by seeing her best friend’s name pop up on Emma’s phone. 

“She kind of doesn’t give me an option,” Emma jokes. Regina chuckles because she knows the outspoken girl better than the blonde. 

_Fuck off_ , is Emma’s reply. What is it with everybody assuming this is some type of date. 

“I knew you were friends with her. I hadn’t realized you two had become so close.” Regina’s voice tells Emma that she’s probing for an inkling of how close. As in, does she know about their romantic past close.

“Kat’s cool, crazy, but cool. I like her, and I like being friends with some of your friends.” 

“Emma, there’s probably something I should mention about Kathryn and I’s relationship.” 

Emma holds up a hand stopping the brunette, who resembles someone struggling to breathe. “I know you two use to date.” There, now it’s out there. 

“Oh!” Regina practically yelps, clearly surprised by the blonde’s divulgence. 

“That’s not what you were going to say, was it?” Emma asks, her voice dropping in disappointment. She wants to smack herself in the face, how could she just drop that. 

“No dear.” 

“WELL, I feel like an asshole.” Regina laughs, then smiles at her and Emma believes that it might be okay. Even though she really put her foot in her mouth this time. 

“Quite alright. As long as you know how to keep a secret.” Regina’s voice is husky, boarding on sexual. Suggesting that maybe Regina needs to know this information for future secret relationships. 

“I can,” Emma swallows hard as she mentally prepares herself for what she’s about to say next. “I have experience in that area.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“I mean, I kind of am not, like 100% straight.” 

Emma holds her breath, and Regina’s eyebrows shoot up. 

“Interesting way of phrasing it,” the brunette comments with a smirk. “Of course, I always suspected as much.” 

“Wait, what?” 

“We’ve never formally talked about it, but I’ve taken the hints when you’ve given them.”

“I gave no hints,” Emma protested, because she’s never even mentioned this to Regina. The only thing the brunette has to go off of is their own budding attraction, which for all Regina knew could just be a freak accident or something. 

“You’re favorite piece of clothing is a red leather jacket.” 

Emma glares at her, “that doesn’t mean anything.” 

“You have an air about you Emma. I don’t know, it was just something I picked up on,” Regina says as if it’s nothing.

The brunette shifts on the bed, so that she’s leaning back on her arms. Emma watches this display of confidence. It dawns on her that Regina is using a defense mechanism. She’s putting the attention on Emma so that she doesn’t have to explain her former relationship with Kathryn. She’s a clever girl, but Emma’s not as dumb as she’d like. 

“I guess I know what you mean. You kind of had my gaydar going off as soon as we met.” There, take that little miss-I-have-a-vendetta-against-Emma’s-jacket. 

Regina’s eyes flicker up, her nostrils flair a bit, and there is the distinct presence of anger as her eyes grow darker. The brunette controls it though, Emma sees it as she discretely curls her fingers into her palms, allowing her nails to dig into her skin. Probably a way of keeping herself in check. These little changes Emma notices, but to someone who isn’t pay attention they may believe that Regina’s remained unaffected by the comment. 

“I doubt that,” Regina challenges, even though her voice remains calm, controlled. 

“Doubt what you like, it’s just what I thought. The whole dating Kathryn part threw me, but not you liking a girl.” 

The last part of that sentence hangs in the air like an untouched gem. They could. This conversation could happen, and Emma could cross the line that she’s desperately been trying to remain on for the past few months with Regina. It would be a dangerous path, and probably not one that would lead to good places; in the sense that Regina is STILL FUCKING DATING GRAHAM. 

“Kathryn was an experiment,” Regina explains her eyes darting around the room. She’s not looking at Emma, and the blonde hates when she does that. 

“It seemed like more to her.” Emma’s pushing, but only because she wants to hear Regina’s side to this story.

Regina sighs, rolls her shoulders as she sits up to face Emma better the bed bouncing along with her. “It was. She liked me more than I liked her. Kathryn helped me discover I was into women, and I helped her discover that she was only into me. We ended it before our friendship got destroyed. We’re still best friends, and she’s moved on, as have I.” 

“How old were you anyway?” 

“Thirteen when it started, fourteen when it ended.” 

“Wow, I was like sixteen when I figured it out. You’re lucky you got an early start.” 

“Lucky? It wasn’t lucky Emma,” Regina chides lightly. Her voice has dropped into a gentle tone, her features are construed into a more sober appearance. As if she’s been woken from a bad dream only to find that reality is worse.

“What do you mean?” Emma doesn’t know what posses her but she reaches out for Regina’s hand. Taking it in her own as the brunette grapples with her brain and her mouth to produce a coherent sentence. She can tell that this is hard for Regina, that she fights this a lot. 

“Emma, my life isn’t about being who I am. It’s about being who people want me to be. And whatever I am, is not on the list of approved activities. While I did figure it out in my youth, I almost wished I hadn’t. Because now I have to hide that part of me away ever day.” 

“That’s awful.” 

“It’s life,” Regina retorts as if Emma is a silly young girl for thinking anything else. 

“No one’s ever cared about who I am, so I never had to deal with that aspect of it,” Emma admits. Not having people in the world who care about you sucks, a lot, but sometimes it’s not so bad when it comes to things like being allowed to date who you want. A trade-off that almost seems worth it by the sad look on Regina’s face. 

“I care,” Regina lets out, looking up into Emma’s beautiful green eyes. She smiles at the blonde, and Emma returns it with a grin of her own. Even when the girl is obviously upset about something she still finds a way to let Emma know she cares about her. The blonde’s not entirely sure why Regina thought she’s a horrible friend, because so far she’s been an awesome one. 

“Well I don’t care...about your sexuality, I mean. Consider this place a judgment free zone where you get to be you, whoever you are with no repercussions.”

Regina’s fingers tug a little more with Emma’s “you always were that to me, for some weird reason.” The brunette chuckles at herself, and Emma suspects she’s missing something, but she laughs still because they kind of have unintentionally been that to each other. 

“Yeah, I guess. But now there’s like no secrets between us. So we can talk about cute girls, and boys, and exes of all sorts without worrying.” Emma’s trying to make Regina feel better. It’s working a bit, because the smile hasn’t been whipped off her face just yet. “That’s what girls do at sleepovers!” 

“And you called me that adorable one,” Regina teases, bunching up her nose at Emma in jest, as the blonde is overly excited about this. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m a total dork. Hey, are you hungry? Cause Granny promised me pie, and David worked me to death today. I need fuel.” 

Regina’s features wash over and concern is now plastered where humor had been. “I’ll talk to him about it.” It sounds like a damn death threat, and Emma is getting a better image of this bitchy Regina everyone talks about. The girl lets the smallest of things set her off. Even if it is endearing that she gets so protective over Emma, so fast. 

Emma’s eyes widen a bit, “No, not necessary. I was just being whiney is all. David’s the best. Now, lets go get pie. Do you like pie?” Emma’s babbling, a common trait for her when she’s nervous. The idea of Regina confronting David, and she’s pretty sure Regina’s serious about that, has her attempting to divert the brunette’s attention anywhere else. She hops off the bed, grabbing a burgandy hoddie and pulling it over her head. It reads: Boston. A token from her old home-town. 

Regina is hesitant, but she pulls herself off the bed no less. “I’m not dressed to see people.” 

“How many times do I have to say cute before you believe me?” Emma gives Regina a bop on the nose as she passes the brunette, and the gesture catches the brunette off guard. But, she smiles at Emma’s absolute silliness before following the blonde out of the safety of her room. 

Regina was unaware that Granny had her own personal kitchen in the inn. Emma didn’t bother telling her, because she wanted the brunette to sweat it out a bit; there was no one in Granny’s actual kitchen. It was just a regular room in the older woman’s apartment, where she kept the good stuff. Emma pulled out a chocolate cream pie from the fridge, and a gallon of milk. 

“That’s filled with sugar,” Regina notes, as if that means it is uneatable.

“Why yes, how deductive of you,” Emma comments sarcastically, slicing her a gigantic piece anyway. 

They eat together, sipping on some milk, and laughing when Emma gets a white mustache. Granny passes through, as she closed down the restaurant and is headed for bed. Eugenia Lucas rises with the sun, and has a rather early bedtime. Probably why Red is always out all night tearing up the town. 

“Finish that pie would ya?” the older woman asks, as she winks at Emma. It’s a stab at the blonde’s ability to put food away, something Granny had learned early on about her. She found it funny. Eugenia merely nods to Regina in acknowledgement. They’ve known each other since the brunette was born, but they act like strangers. The Mills seem to have that effect on people. Emma just doesn’t understand it though. At least Granny’s not afraid of her like some adults. 

“Have a good night girls,” Eugenia says, as she bids them farewell, disappearing into her bedroom. 

They finish their snack, Emma making fun of Regina for actually eating junk-food for once, and Regina scoffing at how unhealthy Emma’s own diet is. That encourages her to make some pop-corn and grab two sodas for the rest of the evening. Eventually the wander back to Emma’s room, where they put on a movie. Falling back onto the bed as they make themselves comfortable. 

“Is it weird I had a crush on Christina Ricci forever?” Emma wonders aloud as she munches on her snack. The actress is in this movie, and the blonde remembers the days when she thought her heart-shaped face was attractive.

Regina looks like she’s trying to stifle a laugh, “Yes.” Then they both laugh, because it’s funny to think about now. “I had a crush on Ruby, if that makes you feel better.” 

Emma nearly falls off the damn bed as she jerks around to stare at Regina dumbfounded. She’s glad the brunette is holding the bowl because otherwise she would have made a mess. Never in a million years would she have seen that coming. Sure, Kat, that she got, but Red? They despise each other. 

“What? I was ten. She was the hottest girl in school, and was always nice to me,” Regina defends because Emma’s looking at her as if she’s a mutant. 

“I’m telling,” Emma replies, sitting back towards the screen. The blonde takes a drink as Regina nearly screams:

“Don’t you dare!” 

“Nope, totally happening. Maybe it will force you two to make-up from whatever the hell you’re fighting about. Is that why you hate each other?” 

Regina’s features harden at that. “No.” 

“Regina can you please tell me why you and my friends have like this war going on? I am late to the party, and it’s not fair that no one will tell me.” 

“I don’t have a problem with anyone but Mary Margaret. That has transitioned into none of Snow’s friends liking me either, as we are in high school. It’s only fitting.” 

“Okay, the problem is Snow. But, why?” 

Regina lets out a sigh, “You’re never going to give this up are you?” 

“Nope, probably not. I’ll get it out of someone sooner or later.” 

Regina sits up, giving herself a minute to clear her mind before she dredges up this old story. “Snow’s Dad and my Mom had an affair.” 

Emma’s face drains of color, and now she really, really feels like an asshole. But, that still doesn’t answer why she hates M&M. The blonde gives her friend a minute instead of bombarding her with questions. Regina will talk if you give her the time to compose her thoughts. 

“We were both young when it happened. I knew Mother had been sneaking around, but I didn’t understand what had been happening. Leopold was a friend of the family, and he had been over a lot, I never thought anything of it. 

Then, during one of my ‘playdates’ with Mary Margaret, which was an excuse for them to meet, Snow saw them together. Of course she ran to tell me, and at hearing the news I was afraid of what it would do to my Father. 

I think you understand how much I love the man, and how much he loves my Mother. I begged Snow not to say anything to our parents. But, she did.” 

Regina’s sentence trails off as her eyes dance away from Emma’s. She can only imagine that Regina is wandering back to that time.

“You always think your parents are invincible when you’re younger, until you see something hurt them,” Regina supplies. “I had never seen my Dad cry before that.” Emma throws her arm around the brunette’s shoulder and pulls her in close. Regina’s head drops to lean against the blonde’s chest, curling herself into Emma for comfort. They fall back on the bed together still tangled in each other’s arms. 

“They worked it out, through screaming matches, but still. My Father always loved her more than anything, and he didn’t want to break up our family. They’ve both been unhappy ever since.” A single tear rolls down Regina’s face, and that has Emma nuzzling even closer to the brunette not caring about her resolve to keep her distance.

“I’m sorry,” Emma whispers into Regina’s ear. 

“I’ve hated her ever since. I know it’s not her fault, but she was the catalyst behind it. I just have never been able to get over it.” 

“Do they know?” Emma asks, and Regina knows what she’s referring to instantly.

“No, nobody knows. I couldn’t bare it, and Snow has always respected that. The only person who knows is Kathryn, and now you.” 

All those people, they think Regina is some horrible person for disliking Snow, but in reality she’s merely a hurt child. Sure, it’s a bit harsh to hold that against Mary Margaret, but Emma understands why at least. 

“I won’t tell anyone,” Emma offers, lightly stroking Regina’s arm as she says it. Regina hasn’t broken from their embrace, and Emma has made an executive decision that for tonight she will disregard her own rules. 

“Thank you, Emma.” 

“Don’t mention it.” 

They fall asleep like that. The faint mumblings of the TV still on, and the bedside lamp illuminating them. Regina sort of passed out on top of Emma, and the blonde just didn’t have the heart to move her. Probably not the usual sleeping arrangement at sleepovers, but her and Regina weren’t normal friends anyway. It was a lie to believe otherwise. Emma was getting tired of lying to herself. 

“Goodnight, Regina,” Emma faintly mumbled to the sleeping brunette. Placing a kiss on top of her head, as she snuggled down into the covers with the girl. Regina seemed to let out a small sleepy noise, before burrowing even closer to Emma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments always welcomed :)


	8. Love at a Funeral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything
> 
> Warning: Death of a character. There will be references to stuff so if that's triggering just beware. I do not have a beta, so there are bound to be mistakes.
> 
> I am sorry this took me so long! You're going to hate me for this, but it's all part of the plan. I promise there is plenty of fluff to come.

“Be safe,” Emma whispered into her ear as she held the brunette tight to her chest. 

Regina was unable to form words, because Emma was doing that thing where she hugs her, and the brunette loses the ability to think properly. Her head is resting on the blonde’s shoulder, and she can barely catch her breath. It’s nearly noon; after sleeping in and a rather unhealthy breakfast, cooked by Emma, Regina is forcing herself to leave. Otherwise, she’d spend every waking moment with the blonde. 

“Text me when you get home?” 

The brunette nods into Emma’s neck. Hey, at least she’s answering this time. Her heart tugs a bit because the blonde cares about stuff like that. About Regina being safe, and whether or not she’s okay. Emma’s made it a habit of randomly texting her during the day with a ‘you alright?’ or ‘what are you thinking about?’. Simple, little actions such as these make Regina fall even more for her friend. Who is almost too caring for her to bare. 

Just as Regina is about to let go and force herself out the door, Emma squeezes her even tighter erupting an embarrassing giggle from Regina. Then the blonde actually releases her, burrowing her hands in her pockets so she’s not tempted to hug her again. Regina watches this happen and smiles. It’s a nice to know she’s not the only one who has to restrain their self in this relationship.

Regina makes it halfway to her car before she looks back. Emma is leaning against the doorjamb, smirking at her. Maybe it’s the way her hair is ruffled, or how her lips are curled at her, but the brunette can’t help but focus on how gorgeous she is. Even though Emma Swan is undeniable hot, this pull she feels to her goes so much deeper. It’s the way Emma is so relaxed, patient, and confident in herself, but not in an obnoxious way. The way the blonde tosses her hair back when she’s deep in thought, and how her eyes light up whenever someone she cares about steps in the room. Emma is just Emma, and Regina can’t get enough. 

This madness has got to stop.

Once the fiery Latina has safely retreated into her vehicle and Emma has dipped back into the house, she whips out her phone. The feeling of serenity with life that Emma usually brings over her is now washed away as anger takes over. 

Fucking Kathryn Midas.

In a flash Regina is typing out a message, hitting send, and starting her vehicle almost simultaneously. 

_I will be at your house in ten._

_(Meanwhile, Kathryn Midas is busy watching youtube videos while sneaking a cigarette when she gets this message. The blonde glances at it, does a mental search for why Regina is pissed. Then remembers that her friend was with Emma all night and the only thing that could…the blonde stops dead. Then quietly whispers to herself “oh shit,” as she begins to grasp the storm that’s about to rain on her.)_

There’s no need to see if her friend responds: as she doesn’t care, and there’s not a day since birth that Kat is not awake by eight. Regina’s car moves along at an alarming speed, even for her, headed straight for the Midas’ residence. The message was more of a warning than a question, and the blonde will have time to brace herself for Regina Mills this morning.

It doesn’t take long for the black Mercedes to pull in the driveway of her lifelong friend. She considers this place her home as much as her own, and Mrs. Midas barely bats an eye at her random appearance. This is a practice both her and Kathryn have carried out since the conception of their friendship in pre-school. 

Oh how things have changed since then. 

Regina gives Cheryl a tight-lipped smile and a curt nod hello out of respect, before she starts up the stairs toward her target. She wished she were wearing heels, as the sound of sneakers scuffing against the floor is not nearly as gratifying or intimidating as the clipped noise of stilettos hitting the ground. Part of the reason Regina always wears heels is because they’re terrifying; lets faced it no one wants to fuck with a broad who can walk around in 5” shoes all the time.  
Regina doesn’t bother knocking, or even alerting Kathryn to her presence. No, the seventeen-year-old just twists the knob and pushes with all the force her arms can manage: a great deal more than most would suspect. The wooden panel swings open, banging against the wall with a rather satisfying noise. Kathryn, who looked as if she was prepared for Regina’s arrival, is not ready for the loud noise the girl’s entrance emits. As she goes flying from her chair in surprise, landing in a heap on the floor thinking Regina was about to starting shooting at her. Crazy: yes, but not unimaginable for an angry Regina. 

“You told Emma!” Regina shouts, and then proceeds to close the door, as there is no reason for Mrs. Midas to hear any of this. Kathryn is gripping her desk with one hand, and pushing herself off the ground with the other. The girl is clearly dazed as she lifts herself up. 

“Emma has a big mouth.” 

“No, no Kathryn. You do! You have a big mouth!” Regina fires back, crossing her arms in a displeased manner. Kat recognizes the body language: defensive. Despite the fact that the brunette is currently attacking outward, and probably will for awhile, she’s self-conscious about this.  
Something Regina fights with all her might but can’t overcome. 

“I can’t believe you told her about us! We both agreed that was to remain a secret. Did the arrangement change or did you just completely disregard my feelings on the subject when you told a complete stranger that we use to date. How could you do that to me? We’re suppose to be-” 

Kat stops listening because there is no point from here on out.

The brunette is huffing and puffing, and Kathryn is watching her with a calm look on her face. Regina wants to smack it off; the brunette doesn’t care for being riled up when others are not. It’s why she has the tendency to pick fights when she’s upset. If Regina has to be emotional, someone else has to feel her pain as well. But, Kat knows that she needs to vent before she will even listen to another voice. So, she patiently waits for her friend to finish her hissy fit so they can address the real problem. And when Regina is done cursing at her in Spanish, Kathryn knows it’s her turn to speak.

“Regina, she’s in love with you.” 

There were a lot of things that Regina had prepared herself to hear, but that was not even in the realm of possibilities. The words hit her like a gust of wind, and she falls back onto Kat’s bed with a bounce, having had the breath knocked out of her. 

“What?” Regina’s words are breathless, but Kat won’t judge her for it. She never does. 

The blonde shakes her head in amusement as a small smile creeps over her friend’s lips. “It’s obvious.” 

“Did she tell you that?” Regina demands, suddenly snapping out of her dumbstruck mindset. 

“Not directly, but it was inferred. I just thought knowing that you’re open to girls would help the process along.” 

“I’m not into girls,” Regina automatically snaps. A reflex any time the subject is broached. A sinking feeling hits her, as all of the baggage she’s been pushing aside for years resurfaces. Kathryn laughs, and Regina’s defense mechanism falters instantly. This is the girl she carried out a relationship with, and her best friend. The blonde joins her on the bed, turning toward her friend, who is still staring at the wall as if it has all the answers. 

“Regina love, we both know you are gay as the day is long.” 

The brunette lets out a groan before her face falls into her waiting palms, the truth hitting her hard. Yes, indeed she is, and she knows that. But, the thing is Regina can’t be. It’s not an option, and she has to constantly remind herself of that everyday. 

“Kathryn, what am I going to do?” Regina huffs, throwing herself back on the bed in frustration. 

“Well for starters you need to break up with Graham, and then you need to start fucking Emma.” 

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

The brunette heiress wasn’t quite sure how she had gotten here. Nearly three months ago her life was simple. The future was mapped out, she had a cute boyfriend, her dream school waiting for her application, and the chance to run away from Storybrooke in full view. Now Regina constantly felt like the world was playing some cruel joke on her. 

Because Emma Swan showed up at her house and absolutely everything in her life changed. 

Regina had spent years building the fortress that guarded her deepest emotions from everybody. She had just perfected the art of remaining personable while not giving too much of herself away. Sure, she felt hollow at times, forced encounters with fellow classmates weren’t her favorite thing, but she had finally learned how to manage being…normal. She had been able to repress her sexuality without causing too much pain, and she was making things work with Graham. 

It had been a lie. A lie that Regina had convinced herself she could live with for the rest of her life until Emma’s emerald eyes caught hers for the first time. 

Regina’s grip tightened around the steering wheel at the thought, as she made her way home. After a much needed heart-to-heart with Kathryn about her life Regina had texted Graham and asked him to meet her at the farm in an hour. 

She had something she needed to say to him. It couldn’t wait any longer. 

Her resolve was firm as she turned into the long drive that led to Mills Manor. Sometimes Regina appreciated the length of her driveway because it allowed her time to prepare for whatever new challenge was going to face her when she arrived. This time it would be her long-time boyfriend who she didn’t want to be her boyfriend anymore. 

Expecting to see his truck parked up by the house as usual, Regina is a bit thrown when there’s an ambulance, two cop cars, and Emma’s motorcycle parked in the circle. Regina checks her phone to see there are three missed calls from Graham, two from Cora, and a text from Emma. 

_Where are you?_

What the hell is going on? 

Regina gets out of the car, having to park a bit further back as there is a crowd of people hovering around the drive. She has to push her way through them to make it to the front steps. Her stomach sinks a bit, because when most of them saw her face they stepped out of her way and gave her a look of such sorrow. That’s never a good sign. 

“Mother, what’s wrong?” 

Cora Mills is standing by the front door, a few feet away from Regina, crying. The brunette has never seen her Mother cry before; didn’t think she was capable of it. David is with her, trying his best to sympathetically pat the woman on the shoulder, which is uncomfortable for both of them. Regina is up the stairs and nearly to her Mother when Graham jumps in front of her. He grabs her, and pulls her to him tightly.

“Regina, I’m sorry,” he whispers. Her heart drops. 

She wriggles out of his embrace, as there are more important things going on, and pushes past him to get to her Mom. 

“Regina, it’s…it’s your Father.” Cora begins to sob harder as she gets the words out. The brunette crouches down a bit to the woman’s height, “Mom?” she says as if she’s a child again. Regina is scared of what could possibly cause this stoic woman to cry so hard. She knows the answer, but she doesn’t want to think it. No, she needs to hear it. 

As if on cue some paramedics step out the front door, a stretcher being wheeled between them. There’s a body lying on it covered in a white sheet. That means…a corpse. No.

“He just died. We were having lunch and he just died.” Cora breaks into a full sob once she has recanted the incident, hiding her face in a soaked handkerchief. Regina turns to face the EMS workers who are slowly, but surely making their way to the ambulance parked right next to the house. Regina is following them, her feet are taking her there because she needs to see for herself. But before she can get there a set of strong arms wrap around her from behind. 

“I’ve got you,” a voice whispers in her ear, and she immediately knows that it’s Emma’s. She doesn’t struggle, as it turns out Regina was in the process of fainting when the blonde caught her. The girl pulls her in, supporting the brunette so she doesn’t hit the ground. Emma manages to ease her up without looking too suspicious. A quiet gesture that Regina will forever be grateful for. It’s one thing to suffer a tragedy, it’s another to let an entire group of people witness it. Emma knows she wouldn’t want that. 

Graham and David are leading Cora into the house, and Regina can feel someone tugging her toward the door. Her mind is going blank, her vision blurring, as she keeps chanting in her head: no. Emma barely gets her through the portal and shuts the door before Regina’s knees are buckling again. With the spectators now gone, Emma lets her. The blonde merely lifts her up in her arms, carrying the unconscious brunette to the nearest room.

It happens to be the formal sitting room. Emma’s never been in here, so she just lowers Regina onto one of the sofas. Laying the brunette flat with the utmost care. The tender gesture is seen by Graham, who’s watching from the doorway. Emma fawns over, checking her pulse, and making sure that Regina isn’t going into shock. 

She’s not.

“She’ll wake up in a minute,” Emma says. Though the blonde doesn’t look back to him, Graham knows that she’s aware of his presence and wonders how long she has been. 

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing,” he offers, stepping closer to the pair. 

“This is going to kill her,” Emma whispers, brushing a stray lock of hair out of the brunette’s face. Regina’s breathing evenly in and out. She just looks like she’s sleeping. Soon she’ll wake up to a real nightmare. 

“They’re going to investigate. Robin doesn’t believe this was accidental.” 

“I don’t either.” 

Emma slips her hands in her pockets, not sure where to put them. Anger is coursing through her, but it’s being suppressed by her overwhelming desire to be here for Regina. The blonde doesn’t believe for a second that Henry Mills just dropped dead of a heart attack. The man was fit as a fiddle and relatively young. No, this is far too suspicious. 

“Where’s Cora?” Emma wonders, realizing that the wife of the man who was pronounced dead today is no longer whaling. Or the blonde can’t hear her. 

“David took her to the kitchen. She’s going to have to go down to the hospital soon.” 

It’s then that Regina’s eyes flutter open. She takes in a deep breath before sitting up abruptly. Emma is kneeling at her side, while Graham is rushing to help her in whatever way he can. Brown eyes search until they land on Emma. 

“What happened?” Regina demands. 

“You fainted.” Emma’s soft voice answers her. 

“My Father?” Regina’s voice quivers as she says the name. It’s so painful to utter. It’s never hurt this much. Tears begin to from in the brunette’s eyes. 

“We’re not sure what happened Regina,” Graham replies, after Emma’s vision darts to the floor. She’s being a coward, but the blonde doesn’t know how to break this girl’s heart. Emma’s experiences with death are different; they’re death. Not the loss of a loved one. 

Regina reaches out for Emma’s hand. The blonde takes it without a moment’s hesitation. “Regina, I’m so sorry.” Emma can barely get the words out, and she hates herself when she does. She wishes there was something to say, anything else that did not sound so empty, but she knows there’s nothing. The brunette crumbles, the tears falling steadily now as she begins to wail uncontrollably. 

There are so many tears, and Emma watches as Graham panics at the sudden outburst. The blonde is quick, she just grabs Regina hugging her soundly. The brunette curls up in her lap burrowing her face in Emma’s chest as she cries even harder. Regina’s nails are digging into her t-shirt, but the blonde grits through the pain. Regina needs her to be strong, and Emma will be that no matter what. 

Graham is sitting next to them. His fists clenched together as he stares at the ground. He hasn’t bothered to reach over to Regina. It doesn’t take long before he excuses himself to go and check on Mrs. Mills. Emma feels bad, genuinely, because Regina is taking comfort in her, not him. She saw the hurt on his face when he left, but knows that he’s too good of a guy to let it upset him when Regina’s Dad has just passed. She’s too preoccupied with her friend’s well-being to let the guilt worry her for long. 

Emma keeps hold of the girl, stroking her hair and back as she sobs into her shirt. The blonde mumbles “I’ve got you,” between kisses pressed to Regina’s head. She pours her love, all of it without reserve out into her words and touches. Emma knows it won’t help, it won’t make this stop, but it’s all she has to offer. 

Regina’s tears have soaked her shirt after awhile. Her crying has soften because it’s exhausting. Faint sniffles are emitting from the girl when she pulls her head up out of Emma’s neck; her hiding spot of the last hour. 

The saddest brown eyes Emma’s ever seen meet hers. It feels like someone has stabbed her in the heart just from the sight. Emma can only imagine what Regina feels like. The blonde reaches down to entangle her fingers with the brunette’s hand that has fallen from her chest. 

“Anything, anything you need Regina just tell me and I’ll do it.” 

The brunette purses her lip, swallowing down a dry throat that has sprung from all her crying. There are still tears falling down her cheeks as she takes in a breath. 

“You. I just need you to stay.” 

Emma nods understanding that she will not being leaving this girl’s side for a long time. 

“I’m always going to be here Regina.” 

This sentiment sparks another burst of tears from the brunette who continues to weep uncontrollably. 

\----------------

“Thank you for coming,” Regina says for the thousandth time today. There’s no smile on her face as she shakes the stranger’s hand. They’re lucky that she’s even bothering to respond to their meager sentiment. The brunette has to remind herself that these people did not all kill her Father. Maybe just one of them. Which one she’s not sure. 

A hand is gently placed on her shoulder and Regina hopes that it’s Emma. She saw the blonde about an hour ago as she was helping put out food for the lunch after the burial. She’s been checking on her every hour since this all began, and there hasn’t been a night where she’s not there to hold Regina as she sobs. Emma’s the only reason she’s standing. 

Disappointment floods her when she turns to find Graham. He’s got on a brand new, perfectly tailored black suit. It fits him well. He’s growing into a fine young man. Regina rarely ever sees the boy she met four years ago in him. 

Graham looks torn. As if he wishes to reach out for her, but she hasn’t let him touch her in three days. She just can’t. 

“Your Mother was looking for you.” His voice is gentle as ever. He’s been walking on eggshells around her. Treating her like a lost kitten that he hasn’t any idea of how to handle. To be fair Regina’s not sure how to handle herself. 

“Thank you Graham.” She tries her best to make her voice sound warm, but it comes out as more of a croak. Dear Lord, she’s going to start crying again. It’s beyond her control. 

“Regina,” he utters, tugging her forward into his arms. He wraps her up in his strong embrace. For a second she lets her head rest against his chest searching for the comfort nothing has yet to bring. His hugs have always soothed her and this time is no different. Graham knows her, has known her for nearly four years. He’s the closest thing to a best friend she has besides Kathryn. That’s why it’s been so hard to face the fact that she doesn’t love him anymore. Not in that way at least. 

“I can’t do this,” Regina cries into his suit jacket. 

Graham rubs her back slightly. “Regina if there’s one thing I know it’s that you can do anything.” She closes her eyes and tries to imagine a world where that’s true. Except in a place like that her Father is there. 

“Come here,” he soothes, as she guides them toward the laundry room hidden by the back door. No one is in there. Regina can cry as much as she wants to and no one will see. Once inside she bursts into tears. He pulls the expertly folded handkerchief out his pocket and hands it to her. 

Ever the gentleman her Graham. 

Regina wipes her face, glad she chose not to wear eye make-up today. Granted, Emma was the one who told her to stop applying it after she spent the entire first viewing with raccoon eyes. The blonde was constantly sneaking her off to the bathroom to fix her; Regina agreed then.

“Your Mom folded this for you,” Regina notes. The creases are perfectly ironed by an expert. Normally she does it when they go out, but he must have had the cheerful older woman do it for him today. 

Graham chuckles. “Never could get anything by you.” There’s a sadness to his voice that wasn’t there before. Regina’s forgotten that she’s not the only one who has to put on airs here. They both have wealthy families with reputations to uphold. He’s always been expected to be a strapping boy who doesn’t show emotions. 

“I’m sorry I’ve been so cold to you.” 

“Regina, you have nothing to apologize for.” He shakes his head as if she’s a lunatic. Right now she probably does resemble one, but there’s nothing but adoration in his gaze. It smashes her already broken heart a tad more. 

“We both know I do,” she admits, shamefully. 

A silence creeps over them as they drift apart. Regina perches herself on the dryer, and Graham leans against the far wall. He’s glaring out the window contemplating what to say next. His hair gel is starting to lose it’s hold, and there are a few stray curls falling in his face. 

“Your Father use to always tell me I’d never be board with you,” Graham says with a laugh. “He use to call me a pretty boy and say that I was the only guy he thought could handle you, and even that he doubted.” 

“That sounds like Daddy,” Regina concedes with a faint smile. “No one was ever good enough for me to him.” 

“No, no they weren’t.” 

“I miss him. It’s been three days and I already miss him.” 

Graham reaches out and hooks his hand with hers, but he keeps his distance. Their linked fingers the only tie to one another. “I wish I could take this pain away.” 

“Me too.” They both give half-hearted chuckles at that. 

“Regina, I love you. I always have and I always will.” Graham appears as if he’s struggling to say the next part. Regina feels as if it’s all too much. Her head hurts, her eyes are sore, and damn does having him so close make it worse. She wishes she wasn’t such a horrible person. That she could love this boy the way he deserves. 

“Graham you don’t-“

“No, let me do this.” 

She silences her protests waiting for him to speak. She doesn’t much have the energy to argue with people anymore.

“Which is why I’m going to do what I know is best for you right now. I’m going to break up with me for you.” 

Regina is so thrown she can barely mutter, “You what?” 

“Regina I know you were going to do it sooner or later. I’m not completely dumb. I just thought I’d save you the trouble of it. You’ve got a lot on your plate without worrying about me.” 

Struck by how calmly he’s taking this Regina is at a lost. He knew. He’s known. For how long? This is a new crazy. She’s at her Father’s funeral and her boyfriend is breaking up with her. The weird part is she’s not as elated as she thought she would be. No, Regina’s realizing that she doesn’t know how to live without Graham in her life. 

“I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose another person,” she sputters, fresh tears spurring from her eyes. Regina wonders if they’ll ever stop. 

“Hey now,” he cheers, stepping to hold her up. “Regina you’ll never lose me. We’ll always be friends. Even though it breaks my heart to do this I know it’s what you want. If it’s not, then tell me.”

Regina doesn’t respond to him, because it is true. She’s angry at herself for it, but it is. Even though right now this should be the farthest thing from her mind, putting her feelings for Emma aside, she needs to be alone. She’s in no condition to have a relationship of any sort. 

“Then I guess this is the end of us,” he meekly answers for them both. He’s trying not to be hurt, but Regina sees that this is breaking his heart. In turn it’s bruising her own because she will always care about him. 

“Promise me. Promise me you won’t just disappear Graham. I don’t think I could take it.” 

“I promise,” he whispers against her nose as he leans in to give her a kiss on the cheek. He smiles down at her. She can’t muster one for him in return; it’s too exhausting. 

“Who knows? Maybe we’ll find our way back to each other,” he says with a shrug of the shoulders. “Your Mother really was looking for you. We should go find her.” He takes her hand and leads her out back out to the lunch. 

 

\-----------------------------------

 

Emma hasn’t been able to find Regina. 

She’s searched the entire party, even the stables, but there’s no sign of the brunette. She’s going to miss their hourly check-in. So, she decides to stand by one of the buffet tables in the main room to wait for her. There’s about fifty people conversing there, each one more pompous than the next. The blonde’s people watching when the other familiar blonde head appears beside her. 

“Crikey, this is ridiculous. I can’t hardly breath in here. It’s a wonder Regina hasn’t lost it.” 

“Who says she hasn’t? Haven’t been able to find her in an hour,” Emma mutters. 

“At least you don’t have to socialize with these assholes. A man is dead and they think I care about politics and my father’s company,” Kathryn scoffs. 

“I hate all these pretentious bastards right now,” Emma offers as a contribution to the bashing session. These rich snobs are causing more harm than good. Although Cora seems to be enjoying their company. 

“Any word on the investigation?” 

“No. Last I spoke with Robin they were waiting for the tox screen which will take days. Cora wouldn’t let them dig any further. She’s convinced herself that it was of natural causes.” 

“My ass. The man was fitter than I am.” 

“I know. This all stinks.” Emma’s been pondering everything for days now. Robin assured her that he’d conduct a thorough investigation, but it will take time. That doesn’t mean the blonde can’t use her own resources during it to try and figure some things out. Once the proceedings are over and she’s back to staying at her own place she’ll be able to look further into it. 

“Potential murder aside, how’s she been holding up?” Kathryn inquires, turning to face Emma with worried eyes. Regina’s hardly let anyone but Emma near her for the past few days. The memories of Regina sobbing into her shoulder for hours on end into the night are enough to shake her with dread. Emma closes her eyes in horror at the very thought. 

“That bad?” Kathryn notes. 

“Cora is keeping it together. That’s helping I suppose.” 

“The only thing helping her right now is you,” Kathryn retorts with a sympathetic smile for the blonde. 

“I don’t know why.” Emma is truly beguiled by it. Regina hasn’t left her side. Not that Emma’s been too keen on leaving her friend either. She’s spent the last few nights sleeping in Regina’s bed at her friend’s request. 

“You’re a horrible liar Emma Swan.” 

Emma lets out a loud huff before reaching into her pocket. Thank the dear universe that she owns a black dress with pockets. The shiny flask that Killian had slipped into her hand at the last viewing had been stashed there. The blonde whipped it out taking a long swig. 

The whiskey burns in the best of ways. 

“That I am. Drink?” she offers to Kathryn. 

“You’re a fucking Saint,” the blonde heiress cheers taking the flask and sipping greedily from it. 

“Thank Killian. He’s the one that supplied it.” 

“I always did like him.” Kathryn secures the lid before handing the sweet nectar back to the blonde. Getting through a death without alcohol is hard enough for anyone, including teenagers. Her foster brother understood that. These rich folk would think it scandalous. 

“Boggles me to think that you and Regina grew up in this world,” Emma observes, pointing to the various levels of wealth mingling in the mansion. Their cufflinks are worth more than her entire life. 

“We definitely give the nature versus nurture argument a run for its money. Regina never did care for these types of gatherings, and I usually feigned ill to avoid them.” 

“A man is dead, and they care more about using this as a business conference than a funeral.” 

“My dear, in their bubbles everything is business.” 

“It’s not helping Regina.” 

“Nothing is going to help Regina,” Kathryn assures, squeezing Emma’s shoulder firmly. Her eyes narrowed to the blonde giving her a gentle smile. Emma nods, because she knows it’s true. She just wishes it wasn’t. This is Kathryn’s way of telling her that it’s not her fault. Emma knows that. Despite everything in her wanting to find a way to be useful to the girl. 

“I should probably go look for her,” Emma suggests. 

“Or you could stand here and wait with me until she turns up.” 

Emma narrows her gaze at the snarky blonde, “you just want more of my whiskey.” 

“Guilty as charged.” 

She hands the flask back over to the girl who pours a fair amount into the glass of soda she had been holding. Kat hands the liquor back over to Emma holding up her drink. 

“To Henry,” Kat begins.

“A kind man who will never be forgotten,” Emma finishes. 

They both drink. 

 

\--------------------------------------

 

Neal spots his two friends exiting the back room. They probably needed a minute to themselves. Graham said Regina’s been distant since Henry passed, and Neal can’t blame her. He hates his Dad, but if he lost him there’s now way to know how he’d react. Mr. Mills was a kind man who was always nice to him. It’s sad to think he’s gone. 

“Hey,” Neal greets as he walks up to them. He steps in to give Regina a hug which she graciously returns. They’ve been friends all their lives and even if Neal gets on her nerves, having the comfort of people she loves helps. 

“Sorry I’ve missed you,” Regina tries, her hostess skills kicking in. Neal lets out a laugh. His puppy dog eyes fixing on his friend, “don’t pull that with me. We both know you don’t care about formalities.” 

Regina leans in and places a kiss on his scruffy cheek. Neal’s skin burns red as he gives her a sheepish grin. He dips into his pocket pulling out a purple envelope that he hands over to Regina. 

“I wrote you a note. Like we use to in the third grade. It’s stupid, but I wanted to do something.” 

“Thank you Neal,” Regina returns, giving him a faint smile as she takes the keepsake. “You always were nostalgic and so kind. I hope you won’t mind if I wait until later to read it?”

“No. Besides, my father and your mother are looking for you. Something about your plans for college. I was sent to find you.” He holds out his arm, which Regina properly secures hers to. She smiles at Graham before Neal leads her off to the fresh hell she is to face this hour. 

A funeral is for the living. It’s suppose to be a way of coping with a loss. Paying respects to those who are fallen. This, this gathering is more of a party than an assembly of the grieving. 

Regina knows it’s what her Father would have wanted. Daddy never was one for depressing events. He dreaded funerals. Time and time again he told Cora and her that he wanted his death to be a celebration of life. At least he’s gotten what he wanted. The brunette wants to crawl in a hole, but she has to get through today. Just today, then she can. 

She spots the only thing helping her to do that across the room. Emma is aiding one of the maids in bringing more trays out to the guests. Regina has been reminding her that she’s not a servant, but the blonde says she needs something to keep her busy. All theses stuffed shirts has Emma feeling out of place. Her Father loved Emma though, so she belongs here more than any of them.

“Regina why aren’t you wearing any make-up?” Cora quietly asks once Gold has stepped away. 

“Mother I don’t think anyone cares if I’m properly dolled up at my Father’s funeral.” 

Regina rolls her eyes at the woman, cursing under her breath as Cora saunters off to another room. Emma comes up to her after her Mom is a safe distance away. She’s been avoiding the woman and Regina can’t blame her. Cora may have the appearance of calm but she’s been a pill to swallow around the house. The blonde links her pinky with Regina’s discreetly letting her know that she’s there. The touch alone has her relaxing. The brunette lets out a sigh of relief. 

“You’re almost there,” Emma whispers to her. 

Last night they had laid in bed talking about this day. Regina was convinced that she’s never make it. She could barely get through ten minutes without losing it. Emma had stroked her hair gently while explaining in the softest voice she’s ever heard from the blonde that they’d take tomorrow hour by hour. It had worked so far. 

“Graham and I broke up.” Regina says it quietly wanting to get it over with. She’s not sure what else to say. She’s still a bit shocked at how it ended. 

“What?!” Emma shrieks, then looks around to see people are staring at them. She takes her voice down before she growls “I’ll kill him.” 

“No,” Regina instructs while grabbing Emma’s forearm to stop her from moving forward. She can feel the tension in her muscles and fears for Graham if Emma ever does get her hands on him. “It was mutual,” Regina informs locking eyes with Emma to let her know she’s serious. 

“At your Father’s funeral?” Hearing the words out of Emma’s mouth stings. She has to close her eyes and take a few deep breaths before she can even think of a response. 

“We’ll talk about it later,” Regina says, brushing off the way Emma is looking at her. “Don’t go near him,” Regina instructs as the stablegirl stalks off. 

It’s not long after one of the blondes in her life departs that the other pops up. Kathryn is as glum as she is, and a bit tipsy if Regina knows her best friend well.

“Where did you get the alcohol?” Regina drawls. 

“Emma.” 

“She’s been holding out on me.” 

“Because she’s smart.” 

“I suppose you’re right.” 

Kathryn reaches out for Regina’s hand giving it a firm squeeze. “No one would blame you for getting into a drunken stupor. Hell, they’d probably help.” 

“I would blame myself because Father wouldn’t want it.” 

At the mention of Regina’s Dad Kat’s eyes glaze over. Her own sadness is evident. She grew up with the man too. In a lot of ways Henry was a second father figure to her. Kathryn was at their house as much as her own. Mr. Midas was never around much so Henry played the part. He even bought her a corsage and took a picture with her last year at prom. 

“No, he wouldn’t.” 

“He hated these people,” Regina says with irony.

“Yeah, he did. But he sure made them believe he loved them,” Kathryn says with pride. She always admired that trait about him. His adopted child was trying to emanate that quality for a long time. It was good to have in the business world that Kathryn hoped to join one day. 

“Kathryn how am I suppose to go on?” Regina says with the pain seeping through. Her Father, he was what had always kept her up. Cora was too concerned with her own affairs to ever care about Regina or what she wanted. Life was going to be so very different without him. So empty. Already the house felt less alive without his warm smile. 

“I don’t know honey. But however you do it you’ll never be alone.” Regina nods, biting her lip so not to cry again. Kat engulfs her in a hug that lasts as long as it needs to before Regina lifts her head up to stare directly into the blue eyes that had accompanied her throughout much of life. 

“I love you so much. I know I don’t say it often enough Kathryn. You’re the closet thing to a sister I have and without you I wouldn’t be able to make it through a day.” Regina’s hand drifts up to cup Kat’s cheek to cement the statement. A stray tear is falling down her friend’s face. 

“Fuck Regina. Way to make me break down,” Kat says as a last ditch effort to keep her dignity. She ends up crying into Regina’s shoulder, and the brunette joins her because what the hell does it matter at this point?

 

\------------------------------------------------

 

“How are you?” Emma whispers into her ear as she comes up from behind, wrapping her arms around Regina’s form. The brunette lets her head fall back onto Emma’s sturdy shoulder, gazing up at the green eyes that have saved her so many times. 

“Alive,” is her simple reply. As far as the past few days go, that’s a pretty good answer for Regina. Emma places a kiss on her temple before turning back to finish changing.  
The blonde slips on her pajama bottoms and a t-shirt before taking her bra off. Regina is half-way through buttoning up her sleep shirt when the tears start. 

“Let me,” Emma says, stepping to finish helping Regina. 

“I’m sorry,” Regina blubbers. This has happened every night. Regina begins to try a simple task, ends up balling, and Emma finishes it for her. It’s made her feel terribly inept. 

“Stop saying that,” Emma mutters before she leads Regina over to her bed. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” 

Regina’s fingers tremble as they find their way to Emma’s cheek. “You haven’t left,” the brunette breathes out. 

“I promised.” Emma hasn’t left because she can’t even stomach the idea of it. Regina’s barely been able to get out of bed. She needs someone, and for some reason the brunette seems to have chosen her. Even if she didn’t Emma would still be at her side through this. 

“Not everyone keeps their promises,” Regina reasons as her crying has turned into whimpering. 

“I do.” 

Regina finds herself lying down, exhaustion from the day seeping into her. Emma covers her up with such care before turning the light out and crawling over to her side of the bed. It’s strange to think of this mattress as belonging to anyone else, but it’s easy to proclaim part of it Emma’s. She quite likes her being there and probably couldn’t sleep without her now.

The brunette doesn’t even bother to play coy. She rolls over to lay her head on Emma’s waiting chest, and the blonde wraps her up in her arms. Their legs intertwine until they’re so close that Regina feels nothing but Emma against her. Regina hates how much she needs this, but she does. It steadies her in her sleep and pulls her back down to reality when her mind drifts off to horrible places. 

Nothing is so bad with Emma next to her. Things are awful, Regina believes she may be going mad, but having the blonde with her gives her some of the strength her Father’s death took. Regina’s been numb since it happened mostly, the sadness becomes overwhelming at times, but otherwise her being has had an emptiness that only subsides in Emma’s presence. Even then it’s only slightly. 

Emma’s fingertips are dancing across her back. Pulling her shirt up a bit with each line drawn. The sensation is calming to Regina and after a few minutes of it her crying has stopped itself. Regina can see that her bedmates eyes are open, staring up at the ceiling though it’s dark. 

“What are you thinking about?” Regina wonders aloud. 

“When I snuck that letter into your mailbox your Dad caught me. He never said, but he knew what I was doing. Do you know what he told me?” 

“What?” 

“That your bark was far worse than your bite.” Emma can’t help but chuckle at the memory. Regina finds herself smiling. 

“Of course he did.” 

“He was right,” Emma teases, tugging Regina a tad closer to her as if that’s possible. 

“When I little he use to call me the world’s smallest smart-ass. Apparently I’ve had an attitude problem since I was born.” 

Emma can’t help but laugh. She can picture Henry saying something like that about Regina. She can also imagine a tiny Latina diva at five. He adored Regina and all her flaws. The blonde finds the brunette’s sharp tongue to be a symbol of her intelligence, her passion, not something to hate. As did her Dad. 

“Tell me more about him?” Emma asks, turning to face Regina. This may not be the solution, but Emma thinks that having Regina talk about him in a way that isn’t morbid may ease her pain. 

The brunette lets out a breath before launching into a series of stories about her Dad. Some bring tears to her eyes, and some make her and Emma both laugh. It’s nearly four in the morning before Regina falls asleep. The first time in a long while without tears. 

Sleep evades Emma that night. She watches Regina instead. Part of her feels creepy, like Edward Cullen or something, but she’s drawn to the beautiful hurt face dreaming next to her. Regina’s peaceful in her sleep. It’s a welcome change to how the brunette has been. To see her not in pain, even for a few moments, is enough to help restore Emma’s hope that one day she will be better. 

Just as the sun is beginning to show in the sky Emma’s eyelids start to droop. Tomorrow they won’t have to get up for anything so she’ll have a chance to get some sleep. It’s Saturday, and David’s given the staff off for one more day. She’ll have to get back to work on Sunday. Then she’ll probably go back to sleeping at Granny’s. She doesn’t like the idea, but she can’t stay with Regina forever. Cora wouldn’t let that happen. 

Locks of dark hair have fallen to cover Regina’s face. Emma feels her steady breathing against her and reaches to tuck the hair behind the brunette’s ear. She’s so achingly beautiful that the blonde can hardly stand it. 

“I love you, Regina,” she whispers to the sleeping figure. Emma would never utter the words if she thought Regina was awake. Spending all this time with the girl, even in a sad time, has only made her aware of how much she does love Regina. But, she’ll never know, she can’t. 

Emma feels better having said it for once. She smiles to herself a she settles in letting sleep take over. 

She doesn’t see Regina open her eyes after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So guys, for my final class before graduation I am going to be studying fandom. Yep. I am so excited and will probably ask for your input on the subject. If you feel like commenting on it or the story please do :). Many thanks for reading beautiful people!!!


	9. Math Homework Isn't That Bad After All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I am so sorry this has taken me so long. I got a serious case of writer's block and then my semester started. It's just been crazy and I never meant to let this story just go. I apologize immensely and understand if you're mad at me cause I would be too. 
> 
> Oh, and sorry I deleted my tumblr. It was for personal reasons I'd rather not get into. Not because you guys weren't awesome cause you are. I really enjoyed talking to you when I had one. And I hope I didn't insult anyone by just deleting it and not explaining! 
> 
> Thank you for reading as always and being awesome. Happy weekend!

It’s getting harder to ignore. 

Regina and her have only been apart for a few days, but Emma misses her a ridiculous amount. Facts are she’s in love with Regina, and she can’t pretend anymore. She doesn’t want to. Except, her Father just died and now is not the time to go about professing secret feelings. 

No, Emma has to be understanding of Regina’s fragile state. Not to mention consideration of how dependent the brunette’s been on their friendship to help her though it all. Now would not be the opportune time to say, “hey Regina sorry about your dead Dad. By the way I’m in love with you.” 

It’s these thoughts pounding around in her brain while she’s lugging new fence posts out of the barn and into the old truck. The manual labor helps get her rage out. She’s so lost in her own head that she doesn’t see Robin standing next to the truck at first. 

He’s a handsome fellow in an old-fashion way, which she never noticed before. The sheriff definitely takes his job seriously, but he has a good sense of humor. Emma figured that out after they destroyed the station when he went into his office and laughed himself silly. Robin wants to keep the peace in Storybrooke. She respects him for that. He’s wearing some tight jeans, even for him, and a green jacket. His badge brightly displayed on his chest, gun holstered on his hip. There’s something about it the image that Emma likes, but it has more to do with the golden star than him. A strange sensation for someone who usually feared it. 

“Good morning,” Robin greets as Emma throws the wood into the truck-bed. 

“Morning.” 

“Can I steal you for a minute?” 

“I’m sure David won’t mind,” Emma replies, slipping off her gloves and taking a seat on the tailgate. Her breath can be seen as she lets out a cough. Robin smiles at her politely, but he doesn’t bother sitting down with her. 

“It’s about Mr. Mills.” 

“Robin, let me stop you there. I know you have an official position and all. But, I’m an teenage street rat so please give it to me straight.” 

He lets out a laugh before his face turns serious again. As if he’s reminding himself that he is indeed a public figure who is suppose to conduct himself properly. His cheeks are still a bit red as he regains his composure to speak. 

“As you wish.” Emma nods cordially because apparently he gets a kick out of all this. 

“We found definitive proof that Henry was murdered. Legally I’m not suppose to tell you this, but he had traces of a poison in his system.” 

“Fuck.” Emma punches the side panel of the truck. This is going to make matters much worse. “What do we do now?” 

“I’m going to launch an investigation. That’s why I came to find you.” There’s a smile with some mirth behind it with his answer that has Emma looking at him as if he has two heads. What on Earth could he want with her? And why does he look so damn happy about it?

“Emma I think you understand how limited my resources are here in Storybrooke.” 

“No I don’t.” 

“I have two deputies who have no business in law enforcement and a part-time officer who sleeps on the job more than yogi bear.” 

Emma lets out a laugh at that. 

“The point is I can’t run a thorough investigation with the team I’ve got. This is the first murder in Storybrooke’s history and I’m going to have to get resourceful. Which is where you come in.” 

“Robin I don’t know anything about it. If I did I’d probably kill the bastard myself.” 

“That’s not what I mean.” 

Emma raises herself up out of her seat standing along with Robin. She glares at him, cocking her head a bit to size him up, because she’s starting to understand his angle. 

“You want me to help you?” 

“Yes.” 

“How?” 

“Believe it or not you are a better detective than most trained policemen.” 

“Because I’m a former criminal?” Emma answers with amusement. It’s true. Down and up side of being in the system is you come to know the law. You also learn how to read people, how to pick up on things, and you never trust anybody. Everybody’s got a dark side after all.

Robin lets his head hang down a bit. He doesn’t like admitting it because that’s not how he views Emma. The girl has some skills and if she was out of high school and it were up to him he’d be shipping her off to the academy. 

“Because you have a knack for handling these types of things. This isn’t within legal bounds Emma. You have a job here, you see things, you hear things, and your close with the family in a personal way.” 

“Regina knows nothing,” Emma snaps. It’s her instinct to defend her. Robin cowers a bit at her sudden ferociousness. The blonde is usually pretty serene so to see that much emotion behind something is telling. 

“I’m not saying she does. The reality is you’re connected to the Mills in a way that most aren’t. I’ll have the authority to question the staff, but they trust you.” 

“You want an inside man,” Emma declares. 

“I want your help. I want to figure out who’s done this because Henry Mills was a good man. And I know you want that too.” 

Emma watches as Robin proclaims his intentions in a most respectable way. It’s not his words so much as the way his eyes are fixed that tells her how earnest the man is. 

“Do I get immunity from breaking the law?” Emma asks. If he does want her help she has a few choice ideas about how to get the information he’s asking. It will probably involve some of her old ways that men like Robin don’t care for. Her way gets results. 

“No. But, I will turn the other cheek if I know you’re involved. If you get caught there’s nothing I can do.” 

“I am skilled at not getting caught. As long as your men don’t run fast?” 

“I can assure you they don’t.” 

“Robin you’re going to have to tell me everything you know if you want my help.” 

“We’ll have a mutually beneficial relationship. I’ll tell you what I know, you tell me what you know. In order for this to work Emma we’re both going to have to be honest with each other.” 

“I don’t have a problem with that.” 

“Then we’ll do this, together?” Robin holds out his hand which Emma shakes firmly. 

“Lets catch the monster who did this.” 

\--------------------------------------

 

“I’m sorry, but what?” Red asked. She keeps blinking her eyes as if that will snap her back to reality. Because there is no way in hell this is real. 

“I love you.” 

“But actually…what?” Ruby repeated for the fifth time. 

Belle flung her hands up in defeat, letting out a long groan. This was impossible. 

It was a week after Henry’s death. The whole town was still in mourning and though Belle never knew the man personally his death encouraged her to live in the present. She was terribly lucky. She was in love with a girl who lit up her world, and she was too scared to tell her. Not anymore. That is if she can get the idiot to understand. 

“You know what? Fuck this,” Belle declared standing up abruptly from the kitchen table. She reached over to her bag that was slung on the back of the chair. Their leather book was taken from it and flung in front of Ruby. “Read that. Then come and find me if you actually understand.” 

With a huff the girl turned on her heel. 

Red stared in disbelief? How could she be wrong? She didn’t do anything! For heavens sake they were just doing homework together like any other day. Then Belle just blurted “I love you” and Red laughed and said “Love you too.” They said it all the time to each other. Of course, Belle usually didn’t get so serious when she did. What was the big deal? They’d been friends forever and they said it all the time and…

Oh. 

They weren’t friends anymore.

They were dating.

As in that thing where love turns from affectionate to passionate. 

Belle was saying I love you. 

As in, I am in love with you in a non-friend way. 

Right? 

Deciding her fragile mind could not figure out the inner workings of Belle French, Red picked up the leather journal and turned to the latest entry hoping for some enlightenment.

_November 7_

_Red,_

_Do you remember when we were in kindergarten together and I peed my pants? I was so embarrassed that I started crying in the middle of class. You turned to me, and saw what happened. Then you grabbed your juice box and dumped it all over your own pants. When the teacher asked what you were doing you explained that you spilled your drink on us._

_I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone more than I loved you in that moment. That feeling hasn’t stopped since then._

_No, I’ve only grown to love you more over the years. Each time you had some bone-headed idea that got me grounded: like adding a whole thing of bubble bath to the school’s pool filter. When you snore in your sleep so loud that I can’t sleep. The time you put bubblegum in my hair in seventh grade when we stopped being friends for a year (I still say you just wanted to get my attention). Lets not forget when you pilled glitter into my locker on my birthday only for it to make me have an asthma attack. Or when you shoved me into the river joking only to find out that I didn’t know how to swim. At least you saved me then. And I will never be able to live down the time you said “fuck” in front of my 99 year-old Grandmother who is still convinced you’re a devil worshiper._

_The point is that each one of these memories I have with you only deepened my love for you. We’re not perfect, especially not you. But together we are. We grew up together Ruby, and with each year, each day, each minute I’ve only fallen more in love with you._

_I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you this, but to be fair I only just figured it out._

_I love you._

_Forever and for always._

_Love, Your Belle_

A stray tear falls onto the page just underneath the girl’s signature. Red can barely get her mind sorted because her heart is literally so alive that she’s pretty sure it’s stopping the rest of her from functioning. 

She doesn’t think. Nope. She’s incapable of it right now. Red rushes from the kitchen, down the hall, up the stairs, and to her room where she knows that damn girl has to be waiting for her. If she’s not Red will search all of Eastern Shore is she has to. 

But, she won’t have to. 

Because Belle is sitting on her bed trying not to look pissed and failing at it when Red bursts through the door. 

“Holy shit Ruby are you alright?” 

Ruby looks like a mad woman. There are tears streaked down her face. Belle’s half-way off the bed trying to get to her when Ruby’s mouth slams into hers. The kiss is anything but romantic. No, it’s ruff, needy, and completely sloppy. But that’s them. When Red finally lets her pull away the girl places her forehead against Belle’s. 

“I’m in love with you. Always have been, always will be.” 

Belle laughs so loud she’s pretty sure the customers in the diner will hear her. To hell with them. She keeps laughing, and pretty soon Ruby joins her. 

“Glad to see you figured it out, dumbass.” 

“Sorry, I’m a bit slow.” 

“I know darling. I just can’t bring myself to care.” 

Red smiles like a fool as she leans down to place a kiss on Belle’s nose. “I will never deserve you.” 

“See that’s the funny thing about this relationship. I feel that the same way about you.” Belle cups Red’s cheek looking up into the dark eyes that carry all of her soul with them. 

Ruby leans down to kiss her again. And again. And pretty soon they’re not just kissing anymore. 

\------------------------------------------

Her Math teacher literally wants her head to explode. Emma’s confident that is the reason the asshole assigned forty problems in one night. 

David kept her late, as he needed help checking all of the animals blankets. There’s a cold front coming in, and they had to make sure all the horses were going to stay warm. David said he was debating closing the stables up and turning on the heat. The building is capable of it, as they live in Maine and winter is no stranger, but he tries to avoid it if he can. It’s expensive, even for the Mills.

It’s nearly midnight and she has work and school in the morning. She’s going to be a zombie for the next week. She’s been trying to get ahead in her classes, but it’s going to take a lot of sleepless nights to do it. She’s barely through problem ten when there’s a knock at the door. Ruby’s been passed out since this morning and probably just woken up. She always likes to come annoy the blonde when she can. Says it’s her job as a sibling, whatever. Emma loves it, but she’d never admit it. 

Emma goes to open the door while whining, “Ruby please tell me you understand math,” and stopping dead at that. Red is not behind the door. No. It’s Regina. 

There are tears streaming down her face. Her hair is a mess, and she’s wearing those hipster glasses again. She’s drained of any color, and Emma might think she’s white if she didn’t know any better. Regina’s arms are crossed, tucked into her tightly as if it will keep her safe. She looks pretty shaken.

The blonde drops her math book without a care. Emma reaches out to pull Regina out of the hallway and into her arms. 

“Hey,” Emma murmurs against the brunette’s hair as Regina starts to come undone in her arms. 

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t breathe there so I took a drive and I ended up here.” 

“Don’t apologize. I’m always here.” Emma’s stroking her hair as she tells her this. Fuck, it’s good to have her near again. The thought is probably the most selfish one Emma’s ever had, but it’s inescapable. She smells like apples and cinnamon and it’s Emma’s favorite thing. 

“You are.” It’s a confirmation, not a question.

“Are you alright?” Emma asks. It’s a futile attempt, because the blonde knows she isn’t. But, her manners tell her to try. What else can you say?

“I’m better now.” 

“Then you’re staying the night.” 

“I couldn’t impose. I didn’t mean to interrupt your studying.” 

“Stop being ridiculous. You’re never imposing. This is my room and you can stay here anytime.” 

Math will have to wait. Hopefully it won’t turn her B into a C, but Regina’s worth that sacrifice. Besides, she has a week to catch-up in her classes because of the funeral stuff. Granny wrote her a note and everything. Regina hasn’t even gotten back to school yet. 

“Don’t tell me that. I will probably end up here every night,” Regina half-heartedly jokes. 

“Fine by me,” Emma declares. 

“You’re too good to me.” 

“There’s no such thing.” 

“Stop.” There’s a hint of light in her tone that tells Emma she’s not hurt by the statement. But the rest of the sound tells the blonde that Regina is very, very tired. 

“Come lay down with me? You have to be exhausted, it’s like midnight.” 

Regina doesn’t even bother trying to object. Because she knows that Emma will persuade her anyway. So, she takes the blonde girl’s hand and lets herself be led over to the bed. Emma clears it of any debris from her work so. The brunette immediately curls up into a ball once its clear. 

Emma goes and turns the lights out. Then she turns the fan on that she insists on sleeping with. Regina says it makes the room freezing, but Emma swears the noise helps her relax. Before long the blonde joins her on the bed, rolling on her side to hold Regina from behind. 

The brunette releases her legs so that Emma’s arms can properly hold her. Emma has the habit of running her nails up and down Regina’s skin whenever they’re close. The odd little trait is ever so enticing and Regina has grown to love it. She’s grown to love a lot of things about the blonde since they’ve become close come to think of it. 

“I heard you.” 

“Excuse me?” Emma asks disoriented. Regina is next to her, everything is right in the world, and her mind is incapable of processing normal thoughts. 

Regina wiggles around so that she’s facing Emma. The blonde’s arms are still wrapped around her, but her face is scrunched up in a rather adorable way. 

“The other night. When you said I love you.” 

Emma’s throat suddenly constricts. Holy shit, NO. This is a nightmare coming to life. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Emma tries. 

“Please don’t play with me Emma. I can’t handle that right now. I need to know whether you meant it.” There’s a sadness to Regina that has the blonde’s defenses crumbling. It’s not even worth trying to lie. The brunette doesn’t deserve that and she’s pretty certain she’d figure it out anyway. She looks defeated in so many ways. How can she hurt her anymore? 

“I meant it.” 

Regina lets her hand ghost up to Emma’s cheek, letting her thumb stroke it in a tender way. She feels the blonde lean into the touch, a hum coming from her unintentionally. 

“I’m sorry,” Emma lets out once some time has passed without Regina hadn’t reacting to the confession. Oddly enough, that gets the girl to raise an eyebrow in that way she does so well. Fuck, Emma’s missed that sassy spark. 

“For what?”

“Aren’t you mad at me?” Emma prods. This is peculiar, even for a grieving teenager. 

“Never,” Regina whispers, a timid curl to her lips showing.

“Then what?” Not the most eloquent way of putting it, but Emma is lost. Shouldn’t Regina be yelling at her? Or, like, at the very least, responding? 

Regina’s soothing touch is retracted from her face only for the brunette to reach around for Emma’s hand. She takes great care in lacing together their fingers, her eyes never leaving them as she secures the hold. 

“Emma, I’m broken right now.” 

The blonde sheepishly gazes down to their conjoined hands. A tremor of guilt passing through her like a sudden illness. How could she have been that selfish? But, as she gazes into the brown pools that have captured her mind, her soul in a way that a seventeen-year-old troublemaker could have never fathomed, one thing comes to her mind. 

“Then I’ll spend the rest of my life helping to put you back together.” 

Something inside of Regina melts. Her heart has felt frozen since it happened. Feelings have been a distant memory she’s been mimicking to try and convince the world she’s still living. When in reality the brunette doesn’t feel like she is. Except, somehow Emma has made her heart start beating again; even if it’s faint, it’s there. 

Regina can’t say anything. She’s been rendered speechless by the sudden strength of emotion hitting her. All aimed at the blonde who is so painfully clueless to what she’s just caused. For a second she forgets. She forgets the pain and the sorrow threatening to envelope her constantly.

The brunette lifts her chin ever so slightly so that her lips line with Emma’s. She leans forward to place a sweet simple kiss on the blonde’s unsuspecting lips. It’s brief, but it resonates between them. Because now they will never be able to deny what they feel. It’s all Regina’s capable of and it does the job. 

Emma tries not to smile like a complete idiot. She’s failing. Regina burrows her head in Emma’s neck shying away from the blonde’s face. The blonde pulls her in tighter, resting her head on top of Regina’s. 

“Don’t worry, I understand,” Emma lets out. The brunette pulls back a bit so she can actually see the blonde. “I’m never going to push you for anything Regina. I’m just going to be here, no matter what.” 

“I will be too. I know I’m not in the best state, but I am Emma.” 

The blonde gives her one of those nonchalant smiles. The ones she uses to let everybody else believe she’s fine, when really Emma isn’t. 

“I think we’ve talked about this enough tonight. Why don’t we go to sleep?” 

“Okay,” Regina sleepily mumbles. 

Regina wishes she had the energy to talk about this. She would have fought the blonde on it two weeks ago. But Emma’s close and warm, and she feels safe for the first time since the blonde stopped staying with her. Emma’s bed is comfortable, and the fan is helping drown out the world. It’s the perfect set up for her to actually sleep. 

Emma chuckles at the sound of Regina’s voice before whispering, “Night.” 

It takes a minute but she hears, “Goodnight.” 

Then a beat before Emma hears “You have a point about the fan.” 

\--------------------------------------

Ruby hates mornings. 

Hates them more than she hated the last season of Gilmore Girls which totally paled in comparison to the rest of the show. The brunette pours herself a large coffee, and a second for Emma who should be making an appearance any minute. Red has a car and has been giving her foster sister a ride to school every morning since it got too cold for the bike. 

She takes a large sip of the liquid caffeine. Granny is constantly gripping at her not to drink the stuff. She’s only seventeen, and it’s not the best thing to indulge in. While Red understands her Grandmother’s point of view, coffee is the only reason the night owl can function during the day. Which is why Granny humors her. 

After ten minutes Red is starting to think Emma slept in. The blonde is never late. 

So like any concerned friend Ruby makes her way to the back of the inn where Emma’s room is. Without thinking Red opens the door, without knocking, while yelling “Yo blondie what’s the hold up? We’re going to be late for school.” Only to find Regina standing in the middle of Emma’s room with Emma’s shirt on and no pants. 

Red can’t help the grin that uncontrollably spreads across her face that she expertly hides behind her giant coffee cup. Regina looks absolutely mortified, which only fuels the brunette’s curiosity. 

“Good morning,” is her all too chipper greeting. 

Regina doesn’t reply. Instead she pulls up the pants she was in the middle of putting on when Red walked in. 

Emma finally emerges from the bathroom, at least she’s fully dressed. “Red,” she yelps. 

“You’re running late. Just thought I’d check on you.” 

The blonde gives the brunette a death glare from across the room. “Sorry. I think Regina’s going to drive me this morning.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Emma takes about three giant steps across the room before she’s at the door, gritting her teeth at her lovable, but highly annoying foster sibling. “Pretty sure,” Emma says as she pushes her friend out into the hallway hoping she can take a damn hint. 

Red’s already laughing as Emma practically shoves her out of the room. “Hey, where’s the fire?” Red teases. 

“Shut-up.” 

“We’re talking about this later,” Red warns as Emma shuts the door on her. The waitress laughs to herself the whole way to the car. The sad part is Emma thinks she’s gotten away with this, but Ruby will be cornering her tonight. 

In fact, the brunette thrives on this all damn day. There are just so many things to think about. One, even with Regina’s compromising position the girl just lost her Father so she highly doubts that the two were doing anything other than sleeping together. Two, how the hell did Regina get into the inn without her even knowing about it? And three, those two were way too comfortable with one another for just friends. These thoughts and theories are swarming around the nosy waitresses head all day until Belle just snaps at her. 

“Okay, what has got you so distracted?” 

“Nothing,” Red shrugs off. This never works with Belle though because the girl’s known her all her life. She’s waiting for her girlfriend to push it further, but silence is her only answer. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Oh, I’m sorry were you talking to me?” Belle replies, looking as adorable as ever as her blue eyes look away from her. Ruby tugs Belle to her, swinging one of her arms around her girlfriend’s shoulders as they walk together so that she has no choice but to look at her. Red flashes her one of those smiles that she knows her girlfriend can’t resist that has Belle giggling like an idiot. People stare at the two as they make their way to the last period of the day; at least it’s not with hatred now. 

“You’re going to tell me eventually.” She’s right, Red knows she is because Belle has been right almost ever single time since they were ten. But right now all she can concentrate on is Belle’s lipstick that is a special shade of red that makes her want to kiss her face off. This has been a problem since they decided not to ignore their sexual attraction to one another. Belle knows it, and abuses it all the time too. 

“Uh, huh don’t even think about it. You’ve barely been able to look me in the eyes all day, you’re keeping secrets, and now you want to kiss me?” 

“Yes.” 

“Not going to happen.” 

“You can’t resist me.” 

“Oh, cocky too. Why am I dating you again?” 

Red leans in just enough to make Belle’s lip quiver, “Because I’m cute.” Expecting a kiss, but getting Belle’s finger pressed to her lips Red smirks as she pulls back. 

“Fine, I’ll tell you about it later?” 

“Bet your sweet ass,” Belle sasses as she leaves Red at the door of her classroom with a shocked expression. In the end Ruby wins because she gets to watch Belle’s sweet ass instead. It’s rather obvious, but she doesn’t care. 

The rest of the day passes quickly. Before Ruby knows it she’s at the diner with her apron on for the evening shift. Belle shows up about half-way through with the excuse of getting “dinner”. Their little code word for one of the many times of the day they want to see each other despite not having a viable reason to. Other than being in love. 

Granny just gives them a look and lets them be. Even though her grandmother can be a bit overbearing the woman is awesome in her own way. She never once questioned Ruby’s sexuality which is more than most sixty-year-old women would do for their rebellious granddaughters. 

“I find it funny that she has more of a problem with how I dress than the fact that I’m dating you,” Red whispers to Belle who smacks her playfully in return. 

“You do realize that she’s known we were in love since before we did, right?” 

“Seriously?” 

Belle shakes her head as she offers her girlfriend the last bite of her pie that Red accepts in an oh-so sexual manner. Belle’s pretty sure it’s illegal in five states. 

“Why do you have to be such a tease?” Belle flirts. 

“Because I have a smoking hot girlfriend that I need to keep guessing.” 

Ruby saunters herself over to her table that has been in need of refills for awhile. Belle disappears to go hide out in Ruby’s room until she gets off; this is when Belle does most of her homework. The librarian is probably going to interrogate her on what’s been keeping her distracted all day as soon as she steps through the door. She won’t have anything to give her unless Emma shows up. The blonde probably stayed over at Regina’s once she finished up. 

Ruby eats her inner words as the blonde steps into the diner looking like someone who’s been put through the ringer. She even has dirt caked on parts of her face, or at least Red hopes it’s dirt. 

“What happened to you?” 

“Don’t ask,” Emma grumbles as she trudges to her room. 

“Everybody has an attitude today,” Red mumbles to herself as she clear off booth three. Judging from the look on Emma’s face she was in need of some serious non-sexually confusing girl time. Red bribes Tina into closing for her so that she can go check in on her best friend. 

Emma’s in the shower, so like any sibling the waitress knocks on the bathroom door before letting herself in. 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Emma says from behind the curtain. Red takes a seat on the toilet, making herself comfortable. 

“I know. But I also know that you need to talk about it.” 

“I hate you.” 

“No, you don’t.” 

“Do you have like a sixth sense about these things?” 

“Call it a nosey intuition?” Red suggests. Emma laughs despite herself. Red has that effect on her. 

“Get out so I can put clothes on and then we’ll talk.” 

Ruby obliges, slipping into Emma’s room. She takes a seat in the elephant chair before the stablehand appears with fresh sweats on. Emma practically collapses onto her bed. 

“Nothing happened.” 

“I didn’t say it did.” 

“I know what you were thinking this morning,” Emma fired back, sitting up so she can glare at Ruby. 

“Emma I know I can be a blunt bitch, but I know you better than you think. Which means that I know you would never do something like that with everything Regina’s going through.” 

“Thanks.” 

Red nods. 

“Something happened.” 

“I fucking knew it!” 

Emma let out a groan. 

“Is it that obvious?” 

Red stares at her fingers for about a minute deciding what could be the best way to answer that question. 

“Never mind, I know it is.” 

Emma sits up, turning to face her best friend with a rather depressed expression that Red doesn’t care for on Emma. 

“What happened?” Red asks, because she knows Emma wants her to. 

“I told her I loved her.” 

Red let out a rather sharp gasp. WOAH. 

“Uh, hold up hot stuff. You just told her that, like went all in on the first hand?” 

“Stop with the poker metaphors.” 

“You knew what I fucking meant didn’t you?” Red fired back. 

Emma rolled her eyes. 

“It wasn’t like that. It was… I don’t even know what it was. My mouth was betraying my mind.” 

“I’d say.” 

The blonde shot her friend a glare. 

“So, what did she say?” 

“That she’s broken.” 

Ruby started nodding to herself again. Who could blame her? Of course she was. The girl had just lost her Father and now was not the time for this. But when did love ever have good timing? 

“Please tell me you didn’t just accept that.” 

“I told her that I would spend the rest of my life putting her back together.” 

“Emma Swan, you smooth mother fucker.” 

Emma couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“I meant it Red. I will.” 

She knew she did. That was the kind of person Emma was. 

“You’ve got it bad.” 

“I don’t know what to make of that.” 

Red got up from her chair, making her way over to join Emma on the bed. 

“You know, when I met Belle I knew I was in love with her like the second she smiled at me. I was in denial about it forever, but I think I always knew she was going to be my last girlfriend. And I’m still trying to figure out whether to be scared or excited by that.” 

“Why are feelings so complicated? I almost liked it better when I didn’t have them.” 

“I think if they were easy than they wouldn’t be worth it.” 

Emma turned to Red who was pensively staring at her. Her lips quirked up a bit at her friend. 

“Lets hope you’re right.” 

“I’m never right. If you want the right answer go ask Belle. She’s the one for that.” 

“You’re so fucking whipped.” 

“I’m not nearly as bad as you’re about to be.” 

“Shut-up.” Emma shoved her a bit, and Red came back nudging her with her shoulder. The two girls laughed at each other. They both knew that Ruby was right about that.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think! I love feedback.


End file.
